Koose Munisamy Veerappan was a notorious Indian bandit and smuggler who was wanted for several offenses including murder, sandalwood smuggling, and poaching of endangered species.
Veerappan operated mainly in the forests bordering the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala for several decades. He started out as a poacher but soon turned to smuggling sandalwood and other forest produce, which earned him a fortune. He became involved in kidnapping and murder after some of his associates were killed in police encounters.
Veerappan’s gang kidnapped several prominent people for ransom in order to fund their operations, including Kannada actor Rajkumar in 2000. The gang demanded the release of some of Veerappan’s jailed associates in exchange for Rajkumar. After protracted negotiations, Rajkumar was released after 161 days in captivity.
The Tamil Nadu and Karnataka police jointly conducted several operations to capture Veerappan, but were unsuccessful for many years due to his familiarity with the forest terrain and support from locals who saw him as a champion of their causes. Veerappan used his ill-gotten wealth to gain influence among the local populace by funding development projects and resolving disputes.
Veerappan’s life of crime came to an end in 2004 when the special task force hunting him gunned him down in an operation. His death provided some closure to his numerous victims and their families, though questions remained about the alleged police cover-up of some aspects of his killing. Veerappan’s story highlights the complex relationship that often exists between criminals and marginalized communities in India’s forest areas.
