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STATUS REPORT ON THE TASK FORCE CONSTITUTED
TO NAB THE NOTORIOUS KILLER VEERAPPAN
AND HIS ASSOCIATES
 1.
GANG MEMBERS: At present there are 3 active members of the gang and about 5 TNLF* personnel recently inducted. Besides Veerappan, the leader, Second in Command is Sethukuli Govindan, a Padiyachi, about 38 years of age. He is the oldest member in the gang, who got associated with Veerappan at an early age. After the death of Vodkehalla Doreswamy, Arjunan and Iyyan Dorai, he was elevated to the status of Second in Command in the gang. He is physically very fit, agile and a sharp shooter, a man of few words and a tremendous source of strength to Veerappan. He dissuaded Veerappan from surrendering whenever Veerappan pondered over the issue. He has been an active participant in all killings and kidnappings. He is likely to continue the gang even after Veerappan is killed or nabbed.
Another active member of the gang is Chandran @ Chandrashekar of Chikkarasanapalyam near Sathyamangalam foot-hills, a 30 year old Kannada speaking Vokkaliga Gounder, who was inducted into the gang about 3 years ago. He played a vital role in the kidnapping of Prof. Krishnaswamy and others in May-June 1998. He has been a conduit between the gang and the farmers around Sathyamangalam, with whom he has very good rapport. He has been responsible for the recent negotiations in the tusk deal at Koladapudur near Chikkarasanapalya. After * TNLF = Tamil National Liberation Front the death of Meke Rangaswamy he has been elevated to the status of No.3 in the gang. He is not so committed as one first two in the gang is susceptible to manipulations.
 About the other 5 members of the gang not many details are available, but for the fact that they have their membership in TNLF, a militant extremist group in Tamilnadu having affiliation to LTTE. Certain details of one Mr. Ramesh, a Diploma engineer are available. These people seem to have been inducted in the gang through a person code-named Maran, whose real name is not known. Maran has been in and out of the gang as also the other 5 members whose identities are not clear yet. The motive behind these persons joining the gang appears to be (a) to get their recruits trained under Veerappa, (b) to induct them in criminal activities so as to force them to remain with TNLF, and (c) to escape from the Police dragnet. Though they have been with the gang for nearly a year, they are still not trusted by Veerappan. Besides the above, there are certain associate members of the gang used occasionally at the time of ambush, kidnapping and for supplying ration and other commodities.
2. WEAPONRY: There are two Self Loading Rifles (SLR), 4 Magazines and about 100 numbers of 7.62 rounds which were taken away from Karnataka Police in Rangaswamy Oddu ambush in 1993. The SLRs are carried by Veerappan and Chandran. There is a .303 rifle with about 100 rounds, also taken away from Karnataka Police, being handled by Sethukuli Govindan. Besides them, there are 8 numbers of .410 Muskets with about 100 rounds looted from Vellithiruppur Police Station (Tamilnadu) on 20.12.1998. These are carried by the other 5 members of the gang. A few of these weapons are hidden buried in his regional depots in the forest known only to Veerappan and Sethukuli Govindan. A couple of DBBLs are also known to be in possession of the gang besides a large number of muzzle loaders, which too are buried and taken out only when need arises.
 In view of the limited number of 7.62 and .303 ammunition, there is little possibility of the gang using these weapons generously. They would use them only when there is an attack on the gang and in such an eventuality, they would aim and shoot the front liners of the attacking party firing only 2 or 3 rounds pinning down the attackers, retarding their advancement making good their escape.
Veerappan has in the past, in his ambushes, used only muzzle loaders, DBBLs and SBBLs for the following reasons:
Scarcity of 7.62, .303 ammunition;
SLR and .303 being flat trajectory weapons were not very effective in an ambush, whereas 12 Bore and muzzle loaders with their spraying capacity were found to be more effective to injure and immobilise the fleeing victims;
Since the ambushes were made from a covered position from a short range, varying from 20 to 60 yards, the short range weapons were found more effective;
The replenishment of this ammunition was found easy.
The limitation of reloading these weapons in an ambush was overcome by using more number of pre-loaded weapons, and by using large number of locals, who are associated members of the gang for the specific purpose.
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