New Delhi - The kidnapping of a popular southern Indian movie star from Karnataka state by the country's most wanted bandit sparked off unrest by angry fans yesterday, Rahul Bedi reports.
Curfew was imposed in the state capital Bangalore and other, smaller towns after hundreds of angry fans marched through streets burning vehicles and smashing shop and office windows following the abduction of Rajkumar (72), a veteran of over 200 films in the regional Kannada language.
Officials said the actor, who is a cult figure in the state, was abducted late on Sunday night by Veerappan, a bandit from Gajanur village in neighbouring Tamil Nadu state, 140 miles south of Bangalore. Veerappan, who has been charged with murdering 120 people, 32 of them policemen and officials, and has a $33,000 reward on his head, told the matinee idol's wife that her husband would not be harmed. He also asked her not to inform the police about the kidnapping.