Kannada film actor Rajkumar was kidnapped by forest brigand Veerappan on July 30, 2000 during the course of an armed attack on a farmhouse belonging to the actor in Gajanur, Tamil Nadu, India. Rajkumar was released by Veerappan on November 15, 2000 after spending 108 days in his custody. The kidnapping resulted in the further deterioration of already strained relations between the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and created a tense situation in the two states.