BY: WASEEM HAIDER

The police officials received daily reports from volunteers about Veerappans daily activities. Also it is said that Veerappan was suffering from sight problemsthats when police decided to act. The volunteers were asked to offer Veerappan, a trip to an eye hospital to get his vision corrected. Veerappan too agreed without much suspicion. The day for hospital visit was decided to be 18th October 2004, time 10:50 p.m. The STF had already laid a trap on route Veerappan was to travel while on a trip to hospital. The volunteers had arranged for an ambulance for Veerappans hospital visitthe ambulance was to be driven by an STF official undercover. As ambulance neared trap laid by STF, driver of ambulance hurled a hand grenade into ambulance before escaping. The STF opened fire on ambulance without warning, though STF claims that they had asked Veerappan to surrender, but he opened fire and so they had to retaliate. The encounter lasted for 20 minutes and finally Veerappan was dead along with three of his associates. Jubilations prevailed among STF as they had finally hunted down hunter.

Is Veerappan really dead?

When Veerappans body was bought to Pappirappatti village large number of villagers gathered around his body. But there was something amisshis trademark handlebar moustache had been trimmed down. Many people who saw Veerappans body claimed that man dead didnt look like Veerappan. STF Chief and Additional Director General of Police, K Vijaykumar however said, "Veerappan had trimmed his moustache. He was not wearing his traditional green clothes and was dressed in white. DNA tests have not been done yet. But we are sure man killed is Veerappan.

The villagers werent really happy with Veerappans death because he was like Robinhood for them. He was known for distributing huge amounts of money among villagers. The National Human Rights Commission has also ordered a probe into killing of Veerappan and has suggested that a DNA test be carried out as soon as possible.

The treasure hunt begins

Veerappan, during his reign of terror had collected millions of dollars in ransoms and by smuggling ivory and sandalwood. Veerappan has reportedly hid this money into vast forestland on Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border by digging up pits, concealing cash into plastic sheets, and covering pits with leaves and mud. After fall of forest brigand, STF is all set to launch a new operationto unearth treasure trove of cash and jewellery that sandalwood smuggler may have left behind. Villagers around forests too have joined this treasure hunt in expectations of hauling up huge loot from forests.

Filmmakers throughout India are also keen in cashing in on brigands deathmy making movies on his life. In fact, a dubbed movie Veerappan starring Kannada star hero Devaraj is being released in Hindi shortly. This action movie released in languages Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Tamil emerged a mega money-spinner and broke all box-office records. However in film, climax shows a guy who is caught by police in film, turns out to be a deceptive clone, while brigand keeps evading police. The Hindu newspaper had reported Veerappan commenting on movies made on him. He had once said, I wish they would look on me differently. I am a human who loves and gets hungry. They make me out as this gangster. But in Hollywood, gangsters make great films. I have seen `The Godfather' a hundred times. That is kind of film our film-makers should make about me."

One of top filmmakers in IndiaRam Gopal Verma had recently planned a movie on Veerappan titled Lets Catch Veerappan. The film will now be re-titled as Lets Kill Veerappan.

Chris N. Fernando is a Sr. Staff Writer with Magazine 360 - an IT magazine published by ITNation, Mumbai (India). He has also worked as Technical Editor with Peer Technical Services and as Reporter for PCQuest and Living Digital magazines. He also writes for The Cheers.com.