Kidnapping of Dr. Rajkumar

{{Short description|Abduction of an Indian actor}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2020}}

{{Infobox event | name = Kidnapping of Dr. Rajkumar | image = File:Dr. Rajkumar (5).jpg | alt = Portrait of Dr. Rajkumar | caption = Dr. Rajkumar in 1995 | date = {{start date|2000|07|30|df=y}} – {{end date|2000|11|15|df=y}} | time = | duration = 108 days | venue = Gajanur, Tamil Nadu, India | location = Near Sathyamangalam forest | coordinates = | type = Kidnapping | theme = | cause = Ransom and political demands | motive = | target = Dr. Rajkumar | organisers = Veerappan's gang | patrons = | filers = | arrests = Multiple associates later captured | victims = Dr. Rajkumar (released unharmed) | perpetrators = Veerappan's forest brigands | suspects = | footnotes = | outcome = Victim released after negotiations | reported_in = The Hindu, BBC News, Deccan Herald }}

Kannada film actor Dr. Rajkumar was abducted by the Indian bandit Veerappan on July 30, 2000, during the course of an armed attack on a farmhouse belonging to the actor in Gajanur, India.<ref name="thehindu_20000801">{{cite news|title=Veerappan kidnaps Rajkumar, three others|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2000/08/01/stories/01010001.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130105040251/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2000/08/01/stories/01010001.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 January 2013|first=A.|last=Jayaraman|date=1 August 2000|work=The Hindu}}</ref> Rajkumar was released by Veerappan on November 15, 2000, after spending 108 days in his custody.<ref name="bbc_20041018">{{cite news|title=Death of a legendary bandit|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2219574.stm|work=BBC|date=18 October 2004|access-date=17 October 2011|archive-date=10 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120410223528/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2219574.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> The abduction resulted in further deterioration of already strained relations between the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, creating a tense situation in the two states.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2000/09/kid-s11.html|title=The kidnapping of an actor puts the spotlight on India's bitter regional politics|access-date=25 June 2020|archive-date=26 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626161914/https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2000/09/kid-s11.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Background== Abducting people and ransoming them for political favours was a part of Veerappan's ''modus operandi''. In 1997, Veerappan kidnapped nine forest officials at Marapala in the Burude forests of Kollegala taluk and demanded an official pardon from the government in return for releasing them. However, the hostages were eventually released after 7 weeks in captivity with no concessions to Veerappan's demands.

According to Rajkumar's son, Raghavendra Rajkumar, the Special Task Force (STF) appointed to capture Veerappan, had warned him about the possibility of an abduction a year prior to his eventual capture.<ref name="frontline_1716">{{cite journal|title=Veerappan's prize catch|journal=Frontline|url=http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl1716/17161310.htm|volume=17|issue=16|date=5–18 August 2000|first=Ravi|last=Sharma|access-date=18 October 2011|archive-date=10 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110170447/http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl1716/17161310.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> But Rajkumar had ignored them<ref name="frontline_1716" /> joking that by abducting him, Veerappan would get nothing more than "a shirt and a dhoti".<ref name="thehindu_20000801" />

== Attack, abduction, and aftermath == At around 9:30 PM on July 30, 2000, Veerappan attacked Rajkumar's farmhouse in Gajanur in Tamil Nadu with an armed band of 10 or 12 men.<ref name="frontline_1716" /> Rajkumar had travelled to Gajanur on July 27, 2000, to conduct the house-warming ceremony for a new house that he had constructed. Rajkumar had just finished dinner when Veerappan and his gang barged in.<ref name="frontline_1716" />

According to Parvathamma Rajkumar, wife of Rajkumar, Rajkumar and his family members were watching television when Veerappan entered the house and asked in Kannada, "We want sir!"<ref name="thehindu_20000801" /> They led Rajkumar out of the house, and into the pouring rain.<ref name="thehindu_20000801" /> Once they were outside, Veerappan questioned Rajkumar about the other people in the house. Based on this information, Veerappan returned to the house and also kidnapped Rajkumar's son-in-law S. A. Govindaraj, another relative, Nagesh, and Nagappa, an assistant film director.<ref name="thehindu_20000801" /> Rajkumar was released 108 days later. A police official later claimed a ransom of 300 million rupees was paid to secure the actor's release; however, Rajkumar's family has denied this claim.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3943969.stm |title='Treasure hunt' for bandit's loot |date=22 October 2004 |website=BBC News |access-date=26 March 2021 |archive-date=25 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225061008/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3943969.stm |url-status=live}}</ref>

The Inspector-General of Police, Tamil Nadu, M. Balachandran and Commander of the STF, Harshavardhan Raju were at a meeting in Dimbum, 55 kilometres from Rajkumar's farmhouse in Gajanur at the time of the abduction.<ref name="frontline_1716" /> Based on a tip-off that Veerappan would be visiting a Hindu temple in Dimbum, they laid a trap to capture him.<ref name="frontline_1716" />

== Notes == {{reflist}}

==References== * {{cite news|title=Held to ransom: The Rajkumar kidnapping saga|date=24 November 2002|work=Indian Express|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/oldStory/13606/}} * [http://www.rediff.com/news/rajakid.htm The Abduction of Dr Rajakumar] ''Rediff.com''. 31 July 2002 – 17 July 2002

Category:2000 crimes in India Category:2000s in Tamil Nadu Category:2000s missing person cases Category:Crime in Tamil Nadu Category:Formerly missing Indian people Category:Kidnapped Indian people Category:Kidnappings in India Category:Kidnapping in the 2000s Category:Missing person cases in India Category:Rajkumar family