Coimbatore, Jan 18: A section of students of the local law college today celebrated the 61st birth anniversary of slain sandalwood smuggler and dacoit Veerappan by cutting a cake and raising slogans in his honour nine years after his death.
Veerappan supporters said they worshipped him as he was a true Tamilian, who defends the rights of Tamil-speaking people living in areas of Karnataka bordering Tamil Nadu.
One of them said, till Veerappan was alive, Karnataka government never dared to stop water supply to Tamil Nadu, but now the scene was different.
The sandalwood smuggler was killed in an encounter by Karnataka Special Task Force in 2004.
