Chamarajanagar: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has condemned the killing of three Tamil men in an alleged encounter with Karnataka Forest Department personnel in Chamarajanagar district and demanded a thorough investigation.
The three men — Anthony Sami, John Rose Peter and Kumar, residents of villages in Hanur taluk — were shot dead in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary area in the early hours of August 15, Vijay said in a social media post.
Vijay calls deaths unacceptable
Describing the incident as “unacceptable”, Vijay called for a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
He also urged the Karnataka Government to extend all necessary assistance to the families of the deceased.
The incident has drawn attention across the two States, with questions being raised over the circumstances of the encounter and the sequence of events that led to the deaths.
Karnataka cites suspected poaching
According to Karnataka authorities, Forest Department personnel had received information about suspected poachers entering the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary to hunt wildlife.
Officials who reached the location were allegedly fired upon, prompting retaliatory fire in which three suspected poachers were killed.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said forest personnel recovered guns, documents and two bags containing suspected wildlife meat from the spot. One person reportedly managed to escape from the area.
Magistrate-level inquiry ordered
Shivakumar said he had ordered a magistrate-level inquiry into the incident and directed officials to take appropriate action based on its findings.
He also said compensation would be provided to the families of the three deceased men, although the amount had not yet been finalised.
Postmortem examinations of the bodies are underway. The inquiry is expected to provide further clarity on the circumstances surrounding the encounter and the actions of the Forest Department personnel.