‘The Hunt for Veerappan,’ a much-awaited true crime docu-series, is gearing up for its OTT premiere on August 4, promising to unveil India’s infamous outlaw in an entirely new light. Among the gripping subjects to be explored, the show delves into fascinating details about Veerappan’s life. Today, we turn our attention to Veerappan’s children and learn more about them.

When Veerappan met his end in the Operation Cocoon back in 2004, he left behind two daughters: Vidhya Rani, born in 1990, and Prabha, born in 1993. The young girls were studying in Tamil Nadu at that time.

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The daughters of the forest brigand had faced their share of trauma, longing for a peaceful life away from public scrutiny and the ever-watchful eye of the Special Task Force.

Despite their tumultuous upbringing and the challenges they knew lay ahead, the determined girls nurtured a burning ambition to receive an education, striving to study as much as they could.

Vidhya, in particular, was closely monitored by the Special Task Force, which knew of her father’s special affection for her. The constant surveillance took a toll on her studies, but she persevered and overcame the hurdles.

During the time her mother, Muthulakshmi, was in STF custody, Vidhya was raised by a relative, but this disrupted her education, causing her to lose two critical years of schooling.

Today, Vidhya Rani is married to a Christian Dalit man, despite her mother’s objections to an inter-caste marriage. Interestingly, she enjoys support from the Pattali Makkal Katchi party, which publicly advocated for clemency on behalf of Veerappan. Furthermore, Vidhya Rani holds the position of vice-president in the BJP’s Tamil Nadu youth wing.

Prabha, who was merely 11 years old when her father met his fate, had never had the opportunity to meet him, thus having no personal connection with the notorious outlaw. As such, her sufferings were relatively less, as the STF did not interfere with her life or studies. A thoughtful lawyer from Chennai now takes care of her education.

Although her identity as Veerappan’s daughter became public knowledge due to media attention, Prabha decided to wait until next year before considering a school change.