Notorious Indian bandit leader tries to strike a deal

India's most notorious bandit leader, wanted for some 150 murders and shooting dead 2,000 elephants, yesterday released one of nine hostages he has been holding to negotiate an official pardon. Apart from the alleged murders, the bandit known only as Veerappan is also charged with having cut down entire forests of precious sandalwood.

From his hideout in the jungles of the southern Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Veerappan told a journalist he is using as an intermediary that if the police tried to stage a rescue he would decapitate the hostages. The authorities, however, have so far rejected Veerappan's terms for surrender. Veerappan yesterday reiterated that he and his gang would release the hostages and surrender provided all of his demands were met. He wants the two state governments to announce their decision over the state-owned All India Radio. The Karnataka chief minister, Mr J H Patel, has said the government can no longer bear the expense of sustaining a 700-strong special task force to hunt down Veerappan, having already spent over 400 million rupees (£6.6 million) pursuing him. Veerappan began his criminal career as an ivory and sandalwood poacher nearly two decades ago. Since then he and his gang have allegedly killed nearly 150 people, including 51 policemen and 10 forest officials. His most murderous attack was four years ago when 21 policemen were blown up by a landmine he is alleged to have planted. Arrested in 1986, he escaped after killing five policemen and a forest guard. Like bandits in other parts of India, the fiercely moustachioed Veerappan claims to be a victim of social repression. He boasts that he robs the rich to give to the poor, a claim bitterly rejected by hundreds of underprivileged people in villages who have been tortured and had family members killed for refusing him or his gang food and shelter.