A statue of brigand Veerappan was found installed on his grave in Moolakkadu near Mettur in Salem district, police said on Monday.

Veerappan was killed in an encounter on October 18 last year near Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu.

• The Veerappan saga ends 

The three-foot mud statue, bearing a close resemblance to Veerappan in his usual olive green uniform, sporting a 'handlebar' moustache and holding a rifle on his shoulder, was detected on Sunday morning, police sources said.

Nanmaye sai (do only good) was written on the statue, they said.

The news of the statue was attracting a large number of people from in and around the area to the grave, the sources said.