Karnataka Forest Shootout: Surviving ‘Poacher’ Appeals for Security

Chamarajanagar: A man alleged to be part of a poaching ring and who fled the spot during an exchange of fire with the Forest Department personnel that left three alleged poachers dead has released a video message from an undisclosed location.

In the purported video which is being widely circulated on social media platforms, Mahimadas, said to be the fourth accused in the case, claimed that the gunfire happened around 5.30 am.

According to him, the Forest Department personnel started firing suddenly and that he escaped from the spot out of fear.

He claimed that since he was unwell, he went home and later got admitted to a hospital for treatment.

"I was feeling very unwell, and I was running around in a panic. Somehow, I slowly made my way back home and then came to the hospital," he claimed in the video released on Tuesday.

Mahimadas further claimed that the Forest department personnel were on the lookout for him, trying to make him a witness in the shootout incident, and he was worried.

He also appealed to the police to provide him suitable protection in this regard.

There was no immediate response from the Forest Department.

The fatal incident occurred early on August 15 in the dense forest area under the Shagya range falling under the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary when forest personnel, acting on information about poaching activities, were involved in an alleged exchange of fire with the suspected poachers.