News: Kalyani, Sugumaran come forward to be emissaries!

Bangalore: In a significant offer, human rights activists Prof P Kalyani and G Sugumaran on September 17 came forward to be emissaries to secure the release of Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader H Nagappa from the captivity of forest brigand Veerappan on “humanitarian grounds”.

The two, who had assisted in the efforts to secure the release of Kannada thespian Rajkumar from the clutches of Veerappan about two years ago, met Karnataka Home Minister Mallikarjuna Kharge here and submitted him a letter making the offer, as the hostage crisis entered the 24th day.

Kalyani and Sugumaran said they met jailed Tamil activist Kolathur Mani in Bellary Central Jail on September 16 against whom, they alleged, five “false cases” have been hoisted and who has been tortured by Karnataka Special Task Force.

They said Sivasubramanian, a journalist and Muthukumar, who had “helped a lot” in securing the release of Rajkumar have also been in jail under “false cases”.

Kalyani and Sugumaran appealed to Kharge to order a CBI enquiry into the charges against Mani and others. If not, they urged him to refer the whole matter to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Responding to their offer to be emissaries, Kharge told PTI that “they have volunteered their services to act as emissaries and the government has no objections. It is for them to establish contacts with Veerappan”.

Referring to their appeal to order the enquiry or refer the matter to NHRC, he said he would discuss the matter with Chief Minister S M Krishna on his return from Delhi.

Meanwhile, Parimala, wife of H Nagappa, appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to stop combing operations to nab Veerappan and cooperate with Karnataka.

Speaking to a group of journalists from Coimbatore and nearby by areas at her Kamagere residence, she asked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa to ensure increased cooperation between both governments, which would help secure the safe release of her husband from the clutches of Veerappan.

Stating that ill health had prevented her from meeting Jayalalithaa earlier, Parimala said she would meet the Chief Minister after her condition improved.

PTI / 17.09.2002.

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