Preliminary investigation by forensic experts who examined Nagappa’s body at Ramapura on Monday has thrown up intriguing questions:• Though Nagappa’s death is being put down to Thursday, the decomposition level does not match. ‘‘An effort to date the maggots found on the body is being made,’’ an expert said.• Vital clues are locked in the bullet that pierced Nagappa’s heart as it is yet to be found. Experts are not sure what height the bullet arrived from. They have, however, confirmed it was fired from a distance. Nagappa’s body shows a large bullet wound in the front and a smaller wound behind. But since the body is decomposed, experts have not been able to establish whether the bullet entered from the front or behind. • Reports that Nagappa was blindfolded and his hands were tied cannot be confirmed as the ‘‘skin had peeled all over the body’’.• Only tell-tale signs on trees and plants in the area can substantiate Veerappan’s STF encounter theory.• Provisions — 5 kg wheat and 2 kg oil — found near the body suggest Veerappan’s men might have fled at short notice.Another body found but TN plays it down • SALEM: Tamil Nadu police on Tuesday recovered the body of a 45-year-old man from a forest pond in Salem district along the border with Karnataka but confirmed it had nothing to do with Nagappa’s death. Mettur Deputy Superintendent of Police M. Mani said the Chengadi forests in Karnataka, where the former minister’s body was found, is far away from the area. ‘‘Also, the body bore no external injuries,’’ he said.HC asks: What is Govt doing about bandit?• NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Centre, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on a PIL urging immediate action against Veerappan. The court also asked all the respondents to submit their replies by January 6 on allegations of ransom being paid to free Rajkumar. Former Karnataka DGP C. Dinakar, in his book Veerappan’s Prize Catch: Rajkumar, has alleged that Rs 20 crore was paid to the bandit.Rajkumar: Nagappa didn’t deserve this• BANGALORE: Thespian Rajkumar, who was Veerappan’s hostage for two more days than Nagappa, on Monday said the former minister did not deserve to die in the manner he did. ‘‘I have a lot of respect for Nagappa. He should not have died in this cruel manner,’’ an emotional Rajkumar said. His wife Parvathamma too could not hold back her tears. The Karnataka superstar said the Veerappan menace has gone on for too long and should end. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu should join hands to catch him, he urged.Rajkumar had spent 108 days in Veerappan’s captivity in 2000. Recollecting his days in the forests of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the matinee idol said that he found the weather chilly at night and hot during the day, making it difficult to adjust to.Hostage gone, govt U-turns on emissary• BANGALORE: With H. Nagappa dead, the Karnataka government on Tuesday said it will oppose bail for Tamil activist Kolathur Mani, whom Veerappan had sought as an emissary. ‘‘Withdrawing cases against Mani is ruled out. The government has already filed objections to his bail plea,’’ Law Minister D.B. Chandre Gowda said. If Mani moves court, the government will oppose him.
