Within hours of the recovery of Janata Dal (United) leader H Nagappa's body on Sunday, the special task forces of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu launched a hunt for forest brigand Veerappan.

Nagappa, who was abducted from his house in Chamarajanagar district on August 25 by the bandit, was found dead in the Changdi forest area.

"We started operations immediately," a grim-looking Karnataka Home Minister Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters in Bangalore.

"Chief Minister S M Krishna, who is in Delhi, spoke to his Tamil Nadu counterpart, Jayalalithaa, and both decided to launch operations immediately," Kharge said.

"Those responsible [for Nagappa's killing] should be caught dead or alive," Kharge said.

Karnataka STF had suspended operations against the bandit after the government came under intense pressure to start negotiations with Veerappan from Nagappa's family and his party -- the JD (U).