[2] Months prior to this Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had formed a joint Special Task Force, with one of their objectives being to track down Veerappan.

Taking the open challenge, IPS officer K.Gopalakrishnan left Palar base of the area's Special Task Force, near M.M.Hills, 100 km from Kollegal of Karnataka along with a team of 41 members which included police from two states, forest officials, forest watchers and informers.

He witnessed several members of the gang including Madhaiayan, Gnanaprakasam, Simon and Bilavendran at the blast site.

[3] A later appeal at the Supreme Court by four of the members, would see these life sentences changed to the death penalty, a rare occurrence.

[7] The four convicts; Jnanaprakash (Veerappan's elder brother), Bilavendran, Simon and Meesekar Madaiah, filed against execution of their death penalties at Karnataka High Court.