If there is one person who is deeply shaken by the death of H Nagappa, it is forest brigand Veerappan's last hostage Rajakumar. The septuagenarian Kannada film star knows better than anyone else just how close the shadow of death is when you are in the jungles with Veerappan.
In fact, when he was in Veerappan's captivity, Rajakumar even requested -- in a recorded cassette sent through an emissary -- that the Special Task Force operations be stopped, lest he be killed in crossfire.
"Veerappan advised me to convey this to you," he said, at that time. "Many anahutagalu [tragedies] and aaghaathagalu [accidents] may take place if this [the STF operation] happens. Your Rajakumar too might suffer because of this. Veerappan rightly says that he and his men may be able to escape from such hunters, but will I?"
The atmosphere in the film star's house, the day after Nagappa's death became public knowledge, was funereal. A visibly shaken Rajakumar, who sometimes had tears in his eyes at the thought of Nagappa's fate, and how close he was to a similar end, spoke briefly to M D Riti in Bangalore.
Do you have any words of wisdom or solace for Nagappa's family?
God should give them the courage to bear this tragedy. In such a situation, there is no choice but to put up with the loss and come to terms with it. This is easy to say and very hard to do. I know, because I too have been there and come back. My family had lived with the fear that I may never come back, every single day, for over three months. I pray to God to help them [Nagappa's family] find peace.
Did you know Nagappa?
Oh yes, of course. He was from Kamagere, which is very close to my father's native place. I was very proud of him, felt that we belonged to the same area. I still remember that when I was given the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1996, Nagappa arranged a wonderful function to commemorate this at Kollegal. This is just one of the many memories I have of him. His death is a personal tragedy for me.
Did you yourself ever fear that you would die similarly, when you were in the jungle with Veerappan? Either by his hand, or by accident?
That possibility was with me every minute. When I came back, I simply could not believe my eyes when I saw my family and fans before me. I was so amazed by the fact that I had got out of the jungles alive. I had seen how easy it would have been for me to just lose my life there. Sometimes, in there, I used to think: I have seen so much of life, so what if I die now? I felt that way even when Veerappan first kidnapped me.
Any reflections on the present situation?
Yes, definitely. I keep asking myself, when will this problem end? Who will end it? They say that God punishes the wicked. I do not know how true this is.
Do you think the government fell short, in some way, and was responsible for Nagappa's death?
No, I think they did everything they possibly could. People say all sorts of things. Some say they should have tried harder to send 'Kolathur' Mani. I do not know anything of politics.
Sometimes, though, I think that if we had a tough government like the British ruling us, they might have found some way to end a menace like Veerappan. From all that I have heard, the Karnataka government tried their best to save him all along. I only wonder, though, why we allow killers like Veerappan to survive for so long we certainly do not benefit from them, so why should they be allowed to live?
Do you think Veerappan killed Nagappa because the deadline he gave in his cassettes had expired?
Well, I do not think Veerappan would have killed Nagappa unless it was convenient for him to have Nagappa dead. That's all that I can say
I do not know what could have happened.
The Tamil Nadu police say they did not shoot or accidentally kill Nagappa. Veerappan says he did not kill him. Who did?
Yes, I agree: who does one believe? Him (Veerappan)? Them (the Tamil Nadu police)? Who knows? It is a frightening neerillada kaadu (forest without water) out there. It is not too cold, but it is terrifying. Who knows what goes on in there!
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