Karnataka doubles the reward for top bandit

The Karnataka state assembly has convened an emergency session in a desperate effort to end the two-decade crime spree of Muniswamy Veerappan, India's most-wanted bandit.

The assembly convened yesterday as the government summoned lawmakers from across political lines for an unprecedented brain-storming session.

This followed the recovery of the bullet-riddled body of former Karnataka minister H. Nagappa, Veerappan's latest hostage, from dense tropical forests in the state on Sunday.

An autopsy revealed that the kidnapped politician had been shot from close range. That suggested he was killed by Veerappan after the expiry of the deadline to pay the huge ransom, and not in a shootout with police from neighbouring Tamil Nadu state as claimed by the dreaded brigand in a taped message sent to Mr Nagappa's family.

The Karnataka government has also doubled the reward on Veerappan's head to 20 million rupees (HK$3 million).

But analysts are sceptical about the government's motives and have little hope of a constructive outcome from the emergency session.