The sixth cassette sent by forest brigand Veerappan says he has abandoned former minister H Nagappa, whom he had abducted on August 25.
The cassette received at the abducted minister's house in Kamagere near Kollegal in Chamrajanagar district early in the morning has Veerappan saying that Nagappa was left behind in the forest on Wednesday after he was injured in an encounter with Tamil Nadu's special task force.
Authorities in Tamil Nadu have denied their forces were involved in any such skirmish with Veerappan.