Magisterial Probe Ordered Into Forest Shootout Incident: Karnataka Minister

Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Monday told the Legislative Assembly that a magisterial probe was underway into the circumstances leading to the firing that killed three suspected poachers in the Hanur wildlife range.

He said the government would take "merciless action" against forest department personnel if they were found to have acted improperly.

Rejecting, for now, the demand for a judicial probe into the matter, the minister said any further probe, if required, would be considered after completion of the ongoing inquiry and discussions with Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

This came even as the opposition BJP and JD(S), led by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka, demanded a judicial probe into the incident, compensation of Rs 1 crore for each of the deceased and Reddy's resignation, taking moral responsibility for the incident.

The state Forest minister, making a statement on the incident in the House, detailed what had happened and said the incident took place 5-8 km inside the forest from the boundary of the villages, early on the morning of August 15.

He said the alleged poachers, who were hiding behind rocks and bushes, possessed illegal country-made pistols.

"As they tried to attack despite warnings asking them to surrender, the forest department staff, aiming to control them in self-defence and for wildlife preservation, opened counter-fire using a slide-action gun," he said.

Noting that the alleged poachers were positioned at a higher elevation in the forest and opened fire from a position higher than that of the departmental staff, the minister said the forest personnel could not clearly see the hunters and therefore fired back in self-defence.

As a result, the hunters sustained gunshot injuries above the waist.

"The staff did not take this action with any malicious or ulterior motive," he said.

Subsequently, upon hearing the hunters' cries of pain, the staff checked the area using torchlight.

"They found that one hunter (poacher) was running away from the spot, while three hunters were found lying on the ground, groaning and struggling in pain," he said.

"From a humanitarian perspective and to save their lives, the staff took the injured hunters to the Kollegala Sub-Divisional Hospital after police personnel informed them that a doctor was not available at the Hanur Primary Health Centre. The medical officer at the hospital examined them," he added.

The persons who died in the incident were identified as Antony Swami (50), John Rose Peter (42) and Kumar (33), the minister said. They belonged to different villages.

Accordingly, the police department took custody of the bodies as per procedure and transported them to the mortuary at K R Hospital in Mysuru for further necessary action, he said.

Another accused person who escaped from the spot was identified as Mahimadas, 45.

Approximately 20-30 kg of wild animal meat, identified as deer meat, contained in two bags was seized from the spot, along with several other items, he added.

Reddy said that, upon verification, it was found that, contrary to claims made by the relatives of the accused persons to the media, they did not appear to have entered the forest in search of missing cattle.

"No written or oral complaint had been made to the department regarding any cattle belonging to the said persons having gone missing. No dead cattle were found anywhere inside the forest area either," he said.

Since the accused persons had entered the Reserved Forest area armed and without obtaining permission, it did not appear that they had entered the forest for any legitimate purpose other than hunting, he said.

Noting that, in connection with the case, the Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate of Chamarajanagar district had ordered the appointment of Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Kollegala Sub-Division Dinesh Kumar Meena, IAS, as the investigating officer, Reddy said the inquiry was ongoing.

He said veterinary officers had informed the department that marks consistent with gunshot or pellet injuries were found in the wild animal meat.

Accordingly, necessary steps were taken to send samples of the seized material (case property) and the seized country-made firearm to the Forensic Science Laboratory for investigation.

"When there is no other alternative available, forest personnel are permitted to use firearms while protecting their lives. In the present case also, while the departmental personnel were performing their assigned duties, the hunters attacked them. Therefore, when the situation went beyond their control, the departmental personnel took the above-mentioned action solely for self-defence and for the protection of forest resources," he added.

Questioning the distance from which the alleged poachers were shot, Ashoka said doctors had stated that they were shot from close range.

He questioned why the forest personnel had not apprehended them or fired below the waist.

"If forest officials have the right to self-defence, people should have the same. Even if they were poachers, why were they killed? They could have been arrested," he said.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had also condemned the killings and rejected the forest department's explanation.

Reddy said the magisterial inquiry was underway and that "merciless action" would be taken against the officials if the probe found any fault on their part.

He said the magisterial probe report was expected in three to four days and that, if the findings were not satisfactory, he would speak to the CM and decide on whether another probe was needed.

The minister said compensation could not be announced until the probe established that the deceased were not poachers.

"If it is proved that they are not poachers, compensation can be considered," he said.