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Veerappan sends fresh demands on tape

Forest brigand Veerappan, who has been holding Kannada film star Rajakumar and three others hostage for the past one week, has sent one more audio cassette through emissary R R Gopal to the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments spelling out his demands, according to officials sources in Bangalore.

The sources today said Gopal, editor of Tamil bi-weekly Nakkeeran, returned from the forests last night after his negotiation mission, and handed over the cassette to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

However, in Madras, when contacted by PTI, Gopal's office said the cassette was brought to the office by an unknown person late last night and it was, in turn, handed over to Karunanidhi.

Senior IPS officer K R Srinivasan from Karnataka, who was camping in Madras co-ordinating with Tamil Nadu officials in efforts to secure the release of the hostages, had left for Bangalore with the cassette and was expected to meet the Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna to deliver it, the sources said.

The contents of the cassette are yet to be disclosed.

The Rajakumar abduction: complete coverage
The saga of Veerappan

EARLIER REPORT:
Unconfirmed reports of second tape from Veerappan

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