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Krishna rushes to Kamagere to review situation

Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna on Friday afternoon left for Kamagere near Hanur in Chamarajnagar district to review the measures being taken to rescue former Karnataka minister H Nagappa amidst reports that Veerappan has sent a second cassette to authorities.

Krishna will also meet abducted Janata Dal (United) leader's family and apprise them of the government's ongoing efforts to get Nagappa freed at the earliest.

The chief minister's office told rediff.com that Krishna left for MM Hills in Chamarajnagar district by helicoptor after an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss the latest hostage crisis and the offer of Mysore advocate K Venugopal to negotiate with Veerappan for the release of Nagappa.

He will preside over a meeting of the Karnataka unit of the Special Task Force (STF) where state security adviser T Srinivasulu and state DGP V V Bhaskar will be present, sources said.

Meanwhile, Information Minister K Thimmappa, who briefed the media after the cabinet meeting, denied the government has received a second audio cassette from Veerappan, but sources indicated that the police had indeed received one.

Thimmappa did not elaborate further pleading that only the chief minister and state Home Minister Mallikarjun Kharge were authorised to speak on developments in this case.

Meanwhile, state Urban Development D K Shivakumar, in the eye of the storm for reportedly making some casteist remarks, stoutly denied the same.

"In my entire political life, I have always maintained a secular outlook and never stooped so low as to rake up caste factors. Though Nagappa belongs to an opposition party, I have known him for long. I was among the first to call his family at Kamagere and ask about their well-being," Shivakumar said in a statement issued in Bangalore on Friday afternoon.

PTI adds:
Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on Friday assured all assistance, including helicopters, surveillance equipment and sensors, will be given to the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments to reinforce efforts to rescue Nagappa.

The assurance was given to a JD(U) delegation, led by Union Minister Sharad Yadav, which met Advani in Delhi to seek his intervention for the release of their leader and to ensure proper security to other party leaders.

"We strongly condemn this heinous and criminal act. Nagappa has constantly been receiving threats from unscrupulous elements, but his request for security from the state government was denied," the JD(U) leaders said in their joint memorandum to Advani.

It was most unfortunate and regrettable that in spite of the reported drive to flush out Veerappan, the sandalwood smuggler was still able to indulge in nefarious, criminal and brutal activities, they said.

They have alleged a nexus between Veerappan and 'those directly concerned with the responsibility of nabbing him'.

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

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