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Villagers prepare to celebrate
Rajakumar's release

R Sadananda in Gajanur and
Fakir Chand in Bangalore

Hundreds of villagers are thronging the ancestral home of Kannada film star Dr Rajakumar, as news of his release by sandalwood smuggler Veerappan spread across villages in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on Monday morning.

Police officials refused to confirm whether Dr Rajakumar and two others, held captive by Veerappan and Tamil extremists for 76 days, have been released or not.

Unconfirmed reports said the three hostages, along with the negotiating team led by pro-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam leader P Nedumaran left for Madras in two Ambassador cars, from Sathyamangalam on Sunday night.

"The hostage drama will be over on Monday," a senior official at Gajanur told rediff.com. A large contingent of police forces has been deployed in Gajanur and Sathyamangalam.

Villagers gathered outside Dr Rajakumar's residence to 'celebrate' his release. Some have purchased crackers and others have brought candles. "Monday will be Diwali for us," Ramanna, a Rajkumar fan, told rediff.com.

Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna said that Dr Rajakumar's release was imminent.

"I am hopeful and optimistic Dr Rajakumar will be released soon," he said, refusing to confirm whether the filmstar had been released or not.

The chief minister said his government was in constant touch with the Tamil Nadu government regarding the release and negotiations.

In anticipation of Dr Rajakumar's release, his family hired a helicopter to fly to Madras. Family friends said the helicopter will fly to the spot where the negotiators want the film star to be picked up.

The family has also kept on standby the film actor's personal physician Dr Ramana Rao.

If Dr Rajakumar is released on Monday, it will end to the longest-ever hostage crisis involving Veerappan that kept the Tamil Nadu and Karnakata governments on tenterhooks for 76 days.

The Rajakumar Abduction: complete coverage
The saga of Veerappan

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