India’s “Robin Hood” Dead at 52

The huge news over here today is the demise of Veerappan, one of India’s most-wanted bandits. His stock-in-trade was endangered animal byproducts and sandalwood. (Only in India would someone make a name for himself smuggling sandalwood–does anyone born after 1960 actually like the smell of that stuff?) And, though he murdered dozens of people over several decades, many of South India’s poor considered him a quasi Robin Hood.

I’d heard of him — and found his handlebar moustache laughable — but never knew too much about him. So, I’ll let the experts tell the story:

Bio and photo gallery of the ‘Tiger’s Footprints’ [Times of India]
“After Decades On the Run, Indian ‘Demon’ Killed” [Toronto Star]
“How Veerappan Walked Into the STF’s Trap” [ToI]
This article includes a photo of the dead Veerappan (world media is so much more graphic than in the U.S.) [NDTV.com]

If you really wanna know more, check out Veerappan: India’s Most Wanted Man.