Centre ready to send forces to nab Veerappan

Bangalore, Aug 27: Describing Veerappan`s kidnap drama as a matter of concern for the entire country, L K Advani today said the government was ready to deploy Central forces to nab Veerappan.
"Veerappan is an issue which has been causing concern, not only to the people of states (Karnataka and Tamil Nadu), where he has been operating, but throughout the country", Advani told reporters here.

"Whenever there has been a request from the state to give assistance, the Centre has always been willing to do so. The same situation is present even now", he said.

Advani, who arrived here to inaugurate a two-day meeting of office-bearers of BJP units in the southern states and elected representatives, was responding to a question if the Centre was ready to provide paramilitary forces to nab the brigand. Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister Mallikarjuna Kharge met Advani at the airport and requested him to send central forces to end the kidnap drama involving former minister H Nagappa and catch Veerappan, who had been eluding the police dragnet for long.

"I requested him to strengthen us by providing additional forces regarding the kidnap and also in view of Ganesh festival and Dasara", Kharge told reporters after meeting Advani.

He said Advani promised to look into the matter. Bureau Report