Panel clears STF of charges of killing Veerappan's brother

The N S Sangolli commission which inquired into the death of Arjunan, brother of forest brigand Veerappan, and two of his associates, concluded that the three had indeed committed suicide and ruled out negligence on the part of the Karnataka special task force.

Arjunan, Ayyan Dorai and Rangaswamy died while being shifted to the Male Mahadeshwara hills from Mysore on September 27, 1995. The three had earlier been handed over to the STF by the Tamil Nadu police.

In his report submitted to the state assembly on Friday, Sangolli, a retired district and sessions judge, said the utmost care taken by the STF was reflected in the decision not to keep the three accused at police stations along the way as these were not safe.

The STF took the three accused to collect information pertaining to certain cases. No police officer would destroy the very source of information he required. Hence, any negligence on the STF's part was ruled out, the Sangolli report said.

EARLIER FEATURE: 'They want to kill me. What is wrong in me killing someone who is trying to kill me?'