Karnataka Special Task Force personnel on Friday night exchanged heavy fire with bandit Veerappan and his gang in Gopinatham forest area on the border of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, highly placed sources said in Bangalore on Saturday.

Following information about the movement of the outlaw and his gang, the STF personnel, headed by Commander Jyoti Prakash Mirjee, rushed to the Gopinatham forest area and mounted combing operations, the sources said.

Around midnight, they came across the bandit and his gang leading to the exchange of fire.

Additional forces have been rushed and the entire area cordoned off, the sources said.

There are no details of injuries or casualties.

This is the STF's first encounter with the gang after abducted Janata Dal (United) leader H Nagappa's body was recovered on November 8, 2002.

The Tamil Nadu STF has also stepped up operations against the outlaw.