Chennai: Madras High Court on Friday allowed the wife of sandalwood smuggler Veerappan to offer "annadhanam" (free meal) tomorrow on the occasion of tenth death anniversary of the dreaded brigand, shot dead in an encounter with police.
Passing orders on a petition by Muthulakshi, Justice V Ramasubramanian directed the Deputy Superintendent of Police Mettur and the Inspector of Police, Kolathur Police Station, in Salem district to permit her to offer 'annadhanam' at the place near Mettur where Veerappan was buried.
"...She wants only to offer annadhanam and she is not for conducting any public meeting or procession. The application of the petitioner (before police) is only to offer annadhanam as a family function on the occasion. People, who have faith, believe in performing 'thithi'. Therefore the same cannot be refused to the very wife of the deceased," he said.
The Kolathur police had on September 18 denied permission for organising the 'annadhanam'.
Police had stated that some political parties with fringe ideologies might participate in the function and create law and order problem.
Veerappan, accused of killing more than 100 people and numerous elephants for their tusk during his two-decade rein in the Sathyamangalam forest region, was shot dead by Special Task Force personnel of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on October 18, 2004.
