Indian police killed the country’s most wanted bandit, Veerappan, in a jungle shootout in Tamil Nadu Monday night, ending a thirty-year hunt. The 57-year-old forest brigand, who had eluded police for three decades, was shot to death in a 20-minute gun battle, NDTV reported Tuesday. Veerappan began his criminal career at an early age. Over the course of four decades he killed about 120 people, including police, forestry officials and civilians. His victims were put to death in the cruelest fashion — by shooting, beheading or planting landmines. He even once allegedly strangled his infant daughter, fearing that the baby’s cries would alert the police. The bandit literally ruled over 3,500 square miles of forest area in both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. He gained notoriety by kidnapping several dignitaries from Karnataka at the turn of the century, among them the famous stage artist Rajkumar and politician Nagappa. While Rajkumar was released, allegedly in return for a large ransom, Nagappa was killed in 2002. © Copyright 2004 by United Press International

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