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Fans celebrate outside Rajakumar's house

M D Riti in Bangalore

Annavru has shaved his beard off," yelled a jubilant fan. "We are all off to Tirumala to shave off our beards and heads."

Fans lit giant red firecrackers outside the house of Kannada film icon Dr Rajakumar in Sadashivanagar, celebrating his release by forest brigand Veerappan, and his safe arrival in Erode in Tamil Nadu.

Parvathamma, who was in the house with her daughters-in-law and other family members, sent boxes of sweets to the gates, for distribution to the fans outside.

Family sources told rediff.com that Rajakumar had met some of his people from Bangalore. His sons Shivaraj and Raghavendra, camping in Madras, are reportedly with him. They will start for Bangalore on Thursday.

"Bandranna bandru, Rajanna bandru! [He has come, he has come. Raj Anna has come!]" chanted fans, holding up huge posters of Rajakumar and dancing a hundred metres from the star's house, where the police had put up barricades.

"Bartharappa barthare Rajakumar barthare [He will come here soon. Rajakumar will come here soon]," shouted others, making victory signs. As we watched, more vans and trucks rolled up to the barricades, with groups of frenzied fans.

Several television and print cameramen camped outside the house, awaiting any development. Whenever they approached the barricades to photograph the fans, they would break into more frantic dancing and chanting.

"Yes, its official. He's in Erode and has indicated his desire to come to Bangalore and not Madras," Dr B Ramana Rao, Rajakumar's family physician told rediff.com, from his clinic, where he had come to attend to his patient. "Akka's health is very bad. But we cannot stop her. She is about to leave for Erode to see her beloved husband."

Rao, who had just come from Rajakumar's house, where he had checked Parvathamma, said: "Two local doctors are attending to him now. So there is no point in my rushing to see him. Moreover, he is apparently in good health. Besides, since he is on his way here. I will undoubtedly see him as soon as he reaches Bangalore city. There appears to be no imminent danger to his health, so we need not be afraid."

As we returned to Rajakumar's house, we found that his wife had already left by car. Parvathamma is reportedly on her way to M M Hills, from where she will move to wherever her husband is at that point. He has two mobile telephones and he is believed to have spoken to her several times since morning.

The Rajakumar Abduction: complete coverage
The saga of Veerappan

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