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{{Use Indian English|date=June 2020}} | {{Use Indian English|date=June 2020}} | ||
[[Kannada]] film actor [[Rajkumar | [[Kannada]] film actor [[Dr. Rajkumar|Rajkumar]] was abducted by Indian [[dacoit]] [[Veerappan]] on July 30, 2000, during the course of an armed attack on a [[farmhouse]] belonging to the actor in [[Gajanur, Tamil Nadu|Gajanur]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]].<ref name="thehindu_20000801">{{cite news|title=Veerappan kidnaps Rajkumar, three others|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2000/08/01/stories/01010001.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130105040251/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2000/08/01/stories/01010001.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 January 2013|first=A.|last=Jayaraman|date=1 August 2000|work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> Rajkumar was released by Veerappan on November 15, 2000, after spending 108 days in his custody.<ref name="bbc_20041018">{{cite news|title=Death of a legendary bandit|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2219574.stm|work=[[BBC]]|date=18 October 2004}}</ref> The kidnapping resulted in further deterioration of already strained relations between the Indian states of [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Karnataka]], creating a tense situation in the two states.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2000/09/kid-s11.html|title = The kidnapping of an actor puts the spotlight on India's bitter regional politics}}</ref> | ||
== Background == | == Background == | ||
Kidnapping people and ransoming them for political favours was a part of Veerappan's ''[[modus operandi]]''. In 1997, Veerappan kidnapped nine forest officials at Marapala in the Burude forests of Kollegala taluk and demanded an official pardon from the government in return for releasing them. However, the hostages were eventually released after 7 weeks in captivity with no concessions to Veerappan's demands. | Kidnapping people and ransoming them for political favours was a part of Veerappan's ''[[modus operandi]]''. In 1997, Veerappan kidnapped nine forest officials at Marapala in the Burude forests of Kollegala taluk and demanded an official pardon from the government in return for releasing them. However, the hostages were eventually released after 7 weeks in captivity with no concessions to Veerappan's demands. | ||
According to Rajkumar's son, [[Raghavendra Rajkumar]], the [[Special Task Force]] (STF) appointed to capture Veerappan, had warned him about the possibility of an abduction a year prior to his eventual capture.<ref name="frontline_1716">{{cite journal|title=Veerappan's prize catch| | According to Rajkumar's son, [[Raghavendra Rajkumar]], the [[Special Task Force (India)|Special Task Force]] (STF) appointed to capture Veerappan, had warned him about the possibility of an abduction a year prior to his eventual capture.<ref name="frontline_1716">{{cite journal|title=Veerappan's prize catch|journal=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]]|url=http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl1716/17161310.htm|volume=17|issue=16|date=5–18 August 2000|first=Ravi|last=Sharma}}</ref> But Rajkumar had ignored them<ref name="frontline_1716" /> joking that by kidnapping him, Veerappan would get nothing more than "a shirt and a [[dhoti]]".<ref name="thehindu_20000801" /> | ||
== Attack and | == Attack, abduction, and aftermath == | ||
At around 9:30 PM on July 30, 2000, Veerappan attacked Rajkumar's farmhouse in Gajanur in Tamil Nadu with an armed band of 10 or 12 men.<ref name="frontline_1716" /> Rajkumar had travelled to Gajanur on July 27, 2000, to conduct the [[house-warming]] ceremony for a new house that he had constructed. Rajkumar had just finished dinner when Veerappan and his gang barged in.<ref name="frontline_1716" /> | |||
At | |||
According to [[Parvathamma Rajkumar]], wife of Rajkumar, Rajkumar and his family members were watching television when Veerappan entered the house and asked in [[Kannada]], "We want sir!"<ref name="thehindu_20000801" /> They led Rajkumar out of the house, and into the pouring rain. <ref name="thehindu_20000801" /> Once they were outside, Veerappan questioned Rajkumar about the other people in the house. Based on this information, Veerappan returned to the house and also kidnapped Rajkumar's son-in-law S.A. Govindaraj, another relative, Nagesh, and Nagappa, an assistant film director.<ref name="thehindu_20000801" /> Rajkumar was released 108 days later. A police official later claimed a ransom of 300 million [[Indian rupee|rupees]] was paid to secure the actor's release; however, Rajkumar's family has denied this claim.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3943969.stm |title='Treasure hunt' for bandit's loot |date=22 October 2004 |website=BBC News |access-date=26 March 2021}</ref> | According to [[Parvathamma Rajkumar]], wife of Rajkumar, Rajkumar and his family members were watching television when Veerappan entered the house and asked in [[Kannada]], "We want sir!"<ref name="thehindu_20000801" /> They led Rajkumar out of the house, and into the pouring rain.<ref name="thehindu_20000801" /> Once they were outside, Veerappan questioned Rajkumar about the other people in the house. Based on this information, Veerappan returned to the house and also kidnapped Rajkumar's son-in-law S.A. Govindaraj, another relative, Nagesh, and Nagappa, an assistant film director.<ref name="thehindu_20000801" /> Rajkumar was released 108 days later. A police official later claimed a ransom of 300 million [[Indian rupee|rupees]] was paid to secure the actor's release; however, Rajkumar's family has denied this claim.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3943969.stm |title='Treasure hunt' for bandit's loot |date=22 October 2004 |website=BBC News |access-date=26 March 2021}}</ref> | ||
The [[Inspector-General of Police]], Tamil Nadu, M. Balachandran and Commander of the STF, Harshavardhan Raju were at a meeting in Dimbum, 55-kilometres from Rajkumar's farmhouse in Gajanur at the time of the abduction.<ref name="frontline_1716" /> Based on a tip-off that Veerappan would be visiting a Hindu temple in Dimbum, they laid a trap to capture him.<ref name="frontline_1716" /> | The [[Inspector-General of Police]], Tamil Nadu, M. Balachandran and Commander of the STF, Harshavardhan Raju were at a meeting in Dimbum, 55-kilometres from Rajkumar's farmhouse in Gajanur at the time of the abduction.<ref name="frontline_1716" /> Based on a tip-off that Veerappan would be visiting a Hindu temple in Dimbum, they laid a trap to capture him.<ref name="frontline_1716" /> | ||
==See also== | |||
*[[List of kidnappings]] | |||
*[[List of solved missing person cases: post-2000|List of solved missing person cases]] | |||
== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
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[[Category:2000 crimes in India]] | [[Category:2000 crimes in India]] | ||
[[Category:2000s in Tamil Nadu]] | |||
[[Category:2000s missing person cases]] | |||
[[Category:Crime in Tamil Nadu]] | |||
[[Category:Formerly missing people]] | |||
[[Category:Kidnapped people]] | |||
[[Category:Kidnappings in India]] | [[Category:Kidnappings in India]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Missing person cases in India]] | ||