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TN police questioning pan-Tamil militant

The Tamil Nadu police are interrogating a pan-Tamil militant, Arivazhagan, on the links and whereabouts of forest brigand Veerappan, who has abducted former Karnataka minister H Nagappa.

The anti-terrorism 'Q-Branch' of the state police picked up Arivazhagan from near the office of the district superintendent of police at Perambalur. This region is believed to be the centre for pan-Tamil militancy in the state, and Arivazhagan was visiting the police station as part of his bail condition, after he was arrested in connection with an earlier case.

According to the police, Arivazhagan confessed to supplying an AK-47 rifle and a few other weapons to Veerappan recently. He has been taken to the anti-Veerappan Special Task Force camp at Sathyamanagalam for further interrogation.

Meanwhile, STF officers denied reports that it was easy to nab Veerappan as he has only three or four associates. They pointed out that Veerappan had not fired at policemen on his trail even once in the past decade.

"He has been ducking the police all these days," one officer said. "After initial escapades that claimed the lives of many policemen and forest officials, efforts need to be focussed on tracing and tracking him down. The question of winning a gun battle with his gang does not arise, for the STF to talk in terms of liquidating the brigand."

H Nagappa Abduction: Complete coverage
The Abduction of Dr Rajakumar
The Hunt for Veerappan

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