All they can hear are the sounds of the jungle, but they know that their chief has an uncanny sense for danger, one that has helped them evade an Elite government commando battalion for several years. He knows everything. In movie terms, the bandit had pulled off a casting coup. Rajkumar is beloved by millions in his native Karnataka, and his abduction prompted street protests that temporarily closed down Bangalore, the state capital and center of India's technology industry. Politicians and security officials scurried ineffectually to find a solution.
Strong emotions hinge on the outcome.
Some of Rajkumar's fans demanded that the government hunt down Veerappan and rescue their hero. Others simply prayed for a happy ending. Splash Down Swimming star Suzu Chiba is left off the national Olympic team. The fans' best hope, however, is that Veerappan simply lets Rajkumar go. The bandit has free run of the 3,000 sq km Satyamangalam forest that straddles Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states.