Forest officials shot dead three suspected poachers in Chamarajanagar district’s Holedatti forest early on Saturday, police said. Chief minister DK Shivakumar said that the state government has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the deaths, and a separate police probe is also underway.
The deceased were identified as Peter, Kumar and Antonyswamy, whose wife Lourdamery lodged a complaint upon which an FIR was registered. She said that her family reared cattle to earn a living, and Antonyswamy, his brother Kumar, brother-in-law Peter and another relative Joseph entered the forest on Tuesday to search for cattle that were reportedly missing. The group stayed the night in the forest, she added.
Forest officials said the firing incident occurred early on Saturday. They claimed to have responded to a tip-off to find the three men cutting meat out a wild animal’s carcass and tried to take them into custody before they allegedly opened fire and officials were forced to respond in kind, killing three of the group on the spot. Officials also claimed that a member of their group was also injured in the firing.
The group’s lone survivor, Joseph, as well as other family members, strongly denied the department’s allegations.
The deceased men’s nephew Vijay Anthony told reporters that the family would refuse to accept the bodies till steps were taken to ensure action against forest personnel through an impartial probe.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, CM Shivakumar said, “I received all the information today at around 5 am about the forest department personnel conducting an encounter with those who had gone to hunt animals. We have also ordered a magisterial enquiry. The facts will come out.”
He added that certain documents and other material, including guns, were seized in connection with the incident. Forest officials claimed they recovered a country-made firearm and a deer carcass from the men.
Expressing outrage, state president of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV)Praveen Shetty said it is unfortunate that even 80 years after independence, farmers are still not getting justice.
“Under the law there are rules for use of firearms. If the alleged poachers were trying to escape, they could have been arrested. Why was it necessary to shoot and kill all three? Firing at the head instead of the legs is unjustified,” he said.
