In the dense forests of southern India, a criminal was born—a legendary criminal that would go on to terrorize the region for nearly two decades. This legend was Veerappan, the infamous bandit, poacher, and smuggler who carved a fearsome reputation for himself in the states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Veerappan’s saga of crime and evasion would captivate the nation and leave an indelible mark on India’s history.
Born as Koose Muniswamy Veerappan on January 18, 1952, in Gopinatham, Mysore (now Karnataka), Veerappan’s journey into infamy began at a young age. He was drawn to the life of poaching and smuggling, and it wasn’t long before he committed his first murder at the tender age of 17. By 18, he had joined a gang of poachers, expanding their operations to include sandalwood and ivory smuggling, abduction, and more. His victims primarily consisted of police officers, forest officials, and locals whom he suspected of being informers.
In 1986, Veerappan was captured and briefly taken into custody, but his cunning and resourcefulness saw him escape the clutches of the law. It was from this point that a relentless cat-and-mouse chase between Veerappan and the authorities began.
The governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka convened a special task force dedicated to capturing Veerappan in 1990, but his ability to evade arrest was nothing short of astounding. He had cultivated an extensive information network and had earned the loyalty of impoverished locals through his financial contributions.
Over the years, Veerappan’s reign of terror continued unabated. In the year 2000, he made headlines by kidnapping the renowned Kannada film star Rajkumar, and holding him captive for a harrowing 108 days. Rajkumar’s release reportedly came at the steep price of a substantial ransom.
Veerappan’s criminal exploits extended beyond his infamous kidnappings. He was wanted for the murders of more than 120 people, including police officers and forest officials. His insatiable appetite for elephant poaching led to the deaths of over 2,000 majestic creatures. Additionally, he was a prolific smuggler, responsible for trafficking millions of dollars worth of sandalwood and ivory.
Despite the relentless pursuit by law enforcement, Veerappan managed to outwit authorities for nearly two decades. His ability to escape from one state to another due to political instability, as well as jurisdictional issues that hindered police cooperation, made his capture an elusive goal.
However, the tides of fate would eventually turn against Veerappan on that fateful day—October 18, 2004. Unbeknownst to him, undercover police officers from the Tamil Nadu Special Task Force had orchestrated an ingenious plan to lure him out of his forest stronghold. They had planted an informant within his ranks, allowing them to discover that Veerappan needed to visit a hospital in Salem for his eye.
As the bandit unknowingly climbed into an ambulance arranged by the police, he failed to notice a critical detail—his destination, “Salem,” had been misspelt as “Selam” on the ambulance. This typographical error, born of haste, would prove to be Veerappan’s downfall.
Within minutes, the ambush unfolded as the Special Task Force fired 338 bullets at the ambulance. Veerappan, the once-feared poacher, was fatally wounded. The manhunt that had spanned a decade reached its conclusion in just 20 minutes.
Veerappan’s demise marked the end of an era—one defined by fear, violence, and audacious criminal exploits. His name will forever be associated with the dark and shadowy world of poaching and smuggling that he dominated for so long. The battle to capture Veerappan came at a steep cost, with the governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka spending over ₹100 crore.
As his life story unravelled, it became clear that Veerappan’s criminal journey had begun under the influence of his uncle, Saalvai Gounder, a notorious poacher and sandalwood smuggler. From poaching elephants for their tusks to committing his first murder at age 17, Veerappan’s descent into infamy was swift and relentless.
Despite the political and jurisdictional challenges that allowed him to evade capture for years, Veerappan’s reign of terror came to an end, leaving behind a legacy of crime, violence, and a manhunt that captured the nation’s attention.
Veerappan, the once-feared bandit with a formidable moustache, had met his match, and his era of infamy had come to a close.
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