These photos throw light on the kind of life Veerapan leads in his forest hideout...»
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The forester had weaned the brigand’s gang members, taken over his spy chains, cut off his supply lines and turned his sympathisers, friends and relatives against him – without firing a shot.

Srinivas did, of course, have his chance to finish off Veerappan. On August 7, 1990, he had spotted Veerappan within firing range while combing the Bodhamalai Forest with his team. He could have made his kill then, but apparently he had different plans. (In retrospect, this was a mistake, for which he would have to pay with his life.)

Srinivas had realized early that Veerappan’s strength came from a God-like image he had among the poor and oppressed people of area. He would reward and protect those who worked for him and punish those who went against him.

Forest officer Udaykumar, who was part of the task force before Srinivas joined it, remembers that porters, who carried sandalwood from inside the juggle to waiting middlemen, were paid Rs 600 for every buddle delivered. “Rs 600 is a lot of money in these parts where even three proper meals a day is a luxury.”

There was another factor that helped Veerappan along his way. Most of the villagers regarded the men in khaki as oppressors. To cultivate his image and to make a show of his concern for the villagers, he had only to pick on the policemen and foresters. Of course, he had himself many scores to level with them.

Veerappan was also quick to punish traitors. An old woman from his village, who had passed on information about him to the police, was beheaded and her head hung from a pole in the village center. It was meant to be a warning for the rest of the village…

Srinivas knew that this was the image he had to attack to get at Veerappan. He started with Veerappan’s native village Gopinatham, where for the next nineteen months he lived, helping build houses and hospitals and providing for the village needs. Within months he had won over most of the villagers.

Ravanna, a reformed poacher from Gopinatham, recalled Srinivas as a kind-hearted man. “He had recommended my son for a job with a police officer. He was a kind man”.

Soon, with the help of Gopinatham villagers, he also extended his work to other villages in the forest perimeter. Among the people he won over with his work included Veerapan’s close relatives and many of his gang members.

Indeed, in 1989, Veerappan was commanding a 100-member gang. By the end of 1991, he was left with 10 men and he was on the run. His biggest setback was that his invincibility had come under serious doubt. Regretfully, Veerappan had the last say when Srinivas accepted his invitation for a meeting with him on November 9, 1991.

With Srinivas’ death, Veerappan’s invincibility returned to grip the hearts and minds of the villagers like never before.