The Hindu : `Conditions did not allow policewomen to be in STF'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 15, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

`Conditions did not allow policewomen to be in STF'

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE NOV. 14. A police officer from Karnataka, who was part of the Special Task Force (STF) constituted to nab Veerappan, on Wednesday informed the panel set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) that the conditions in which the STF worked did not make it possible to policewomen as part of the STF.

N. Nagaraj, presently Assistant Commissioner of Police, Bangalore, said the entire area was terrorised by the forest brigand and even policemen were hesitant to go there. In such a situation, it was not safe to deploy policewomen, he said when cross-examined by the human rights activist, Mathew Philip.

Deposing before the panel comprising A.J. Sadashiva and C.V. Narasimhan set up by NHRC to inquire into the alleged atrocities committed by STFs of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu against tribal people during the operations against Veerappan, Mr. Nagaraj said he was in charge of the operational wing of the STF for nearly four years, from 1993 to 1997.

He refuted the allegation by Krishna that the officer arrested him from his house in Nallur on June 8, 1993 and stated that, in fact, he arrested Krishna and Mani on June 27 at Nallur Old Fort when the two were carrying two loaded guns. He was attached to the Magadi Road Police Station in Bangalore as Inspector before his deputation to the STF.

Mr. Nagaraj said he had also arrested Iyyan Durai, Meenukar Kuppuswamy, and Seva on May 11, 1993 from the border of Gopinatham forest in connection with a case registered in Ramapura Police Station. Except for these five, he had not arrested any other person, the officer maintained.

He said he had produced the accused before the investigating officer soon after they were arrested. The latter produced them before the courts concerned.

Replying to a question from the General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Tribal People's Association, V.P. Gunasekaran, Mr. Nagaraj said no written orders were issued to set up STF camps and village protection camps. They were set up depending upon the situation on the oral orders of the STF Commander, the officer said. He denied the allegation that a village camp was set up in Nallur even before Veerappan killed Pulakar Raju and his nine-year-old son in 1994.

Mr. Nagaraj maintained that no choultry of the Mahadeshwara Temple had been used as a "workshop" to elicit information from alleged associates of Veerappan in M.M. Hills. He denied allegations by Yellamma, Gudde Madeva, Jnanasundari, and Gunanathan that he had arrested them and tortured them.

The two-man panel would continue the hearing on December 3 and 4.

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