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Indian treasure-seekers hunt bandit's hoard
By Rahul Bedi in New Delhi
Last Updated: 3:04pm BST 14/04/2008
Fortune hunters are scouring southern India's jungles for the hoard of cash, ivory, sandalwood and animal skins reportedly buried by the country's most notorious brigands.
Veerappan, the fiercely mustachioed Indian bandit
Police say hundreds of treasure seekers armed with crowbars and spades were moving across to 625 sq miles of thick forest in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states seeking bandit Veerappan's "vast riches", which he is believed to have hidden in remote caves, underground pits and in trees.
The fiercely moustachioed bandit, who murdered over 120 people, kidnapped a film star and cut down large tracts of precious sandalwood, had amassed a massive fortune in nearly 30 years of banditry. He was shot dead aged 60 in 2004.
"Groups of locals regularly venture into the jungle looking for Veerappan's money," one of the district administrators in Karnataka said.
"We have warned them against doing this and turned them back but they ignore us and return to resume their search"
According to local folklore Veerappan, who had a £250,000 bounty on his head, is reported have buried plastic bangs packed with cash alongside sacks full of ivory from the more than 2000 elephants he poached.
Estimates of his ill-gotten wealth vary from £6.25 million to as much as 10 times that amount.
Along with three close associates Veerappan was ambushed by police in October 2004 on his way out of his forest hideout to seek medical treatment for an eye complaint.
One of those killed was the bandit's chief lieutenant who knew all their treasure burial spots, police said - a belief responsible for fuelling the treasure hunt.
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By Rahul Bedi in New Delhi
Last Updated: 3:04pm BST 14/04/2008
Fortune hunters are scouring southern India's jungles for the hoard of cash, ivory, sandalwood and animal skins reportedly buried by the country's most notorious brigands.
Veerappan, the fiercely mustachioed Indian bandit
Police say hundreds of treasure seekers armed with crowbars and spades were moving across to 625 sq miles of thick forest in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states seeking bandit Veerappan's "vast riches", which he is believed to have hidden in remote caves, underground pits and in trees.
The fiercely moustachioed bandit, who murdered over 120 people, kidnapped a film star and cut down large tracts of precious sandalwood, had amassed a massive fortune in nearly 30 years of banditry. He was shot dead aged 60 in 2004.
"Groups of locals regularly venture into the jungle looking for Veerappan's money," one of the district administrators in Karnataka said.
"We have warned them against doing this and turned them back but they ignore us and return to resume their search"
According to local folklore Veerappan, who had a £250,000 bounty on his head, is reported have buried plastic bangs packed with cash alongside sacks full of ivory from the more than 2000 elephants he poached.
Estimates of his ill-gotten wealth vary from £6.25 million to as much as 10 times that amount.
Along with three close associates Veerappan was ambushed by police in October 2004 on his way out of his forest hideout to seek medical treatment for an eye complaint.
One of those killed was the bandit's chief lieutenant who knew all their treasure burial spots, police said - a belief responsible for fuelling the treasure hunt.
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