This time he knew he would be taken seriously. In Karnataka, temples, mosques and churches filled with people praying for the safe return of their idol. One fan, unable to stand the agony and tension any longer, committed suicide by taking poison. However, as a cassette smuggled out of the jungle and sent to a Tamil journalist revealed, Rajkumar was alive and well. According to those who have previously been kidnapped by Veerappan, the bandit enjoys company and likes to dance to music on the radio.
Hostages share with their captors simple meals of rice, beans and meat.
When it rains, they sleep under canvas shelters around which drainage ditches have been dug. By last weekend, Veerappan's terms had become more or less clear. But either way, it was clear the authorities were being held to ransom. With peace on the streets of Bangalore and the safety of a leading film star at stake, the authorities were ready to strike a deal. All Veerappan's terms would be met, declared the chief ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.