George Iype
POLICE records show that the TNLA-TNRT have carried out 92 minor bomb blasts across Tamil Nadu since 1980.The targets were mainly central government establishments, television towers, radio stations, banks, railway stations and statues of national leaders.
TNLA-TNRT founder Tamilarasan is said to have murdered two landlords in Dharmapuri in 1980 as part of his campaign to establish a casteless society and eliminate the stranglehold of landlords.
In 1986, the extremists were in news for the bomb blasts at the Kudamurutti Bridge. The blasts occurred just before then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's visited Thanjavur. The LTTE is said to have aided them in the mission.
The police have registered nearly 180 cases of smuggling, looting of banks and kidnapping for ransom by various TNLA-TNRT members in the last 20 years.
In September 1987, Tamilarasan and his associates attempted to attacked a bank in Ponparrappi village. Before they could escape, the villagers lynched them to death.
The kidnapping of Kannada superstar Dr Rajakumar in association with Veerappan is by far the biggest operation that the TNLA-TNRT is involved in.