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Hostage crisis: Mysore bandh on Tuesday

Fakir Chand in Bangalore

The opposition parties in Karnataka have called a 24-hour bandh in Mysore on Tuesday in protest against the government's failure to secure the release of Janata Dal leader H Nagappa, who is being held hostage by forest brigand Veerappan.

Besides the Bharatiya Janata Party, both factions of the Janata Dal, the Left parties and several social and religious organisations have supported the bandh call.

Former prime minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Deve Gowda and some other leaders would hold meetings in the city through the day.

Some educational institutions and trade bodies have also supported the bandh call.

Criticising the S M Krishna government for not doing anything for over a week since Nagappa was kidnapped from his farmhouse in Chamarajanagar district on Sunday last, Deve Gowda said the state should pull all stops to establish contact with Veerappan and start negotiations for Nagappa's release.

"How can the state government keep quiet and do nothing when the entire country is watching the tense situation and Nagappa's family is traumatised?" Gowda asked.

Opposition parties have urged the government to suspend the Special Task Force operations against Veerappan and facilitate negotiations through an emissary.

To ensure that peace and normalcy prevails during the bandh, the government has taken all precautionary measures. The Rapid Action Force staged a march in some sensitive areas of Mysore on Monday evening.

H Nagappa Abduction: Complete coverage
The Abduction of Dr Rajakumar
The Hunt for Veerappan

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