Three Poachers Shot Dead by Forest Guards in Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary
15 Aug 2026 12:25 PM IST15 Aug 2026 12:25 PM IST
Poachers are said to have initiated firing at the patrolling personnel and in retaliation, forest guards opened fire at them
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BENGALURU: Three alleged poachers were shot dead by patrolling personnel of Hanur range attached to Cauvery wildlife sanctuary in Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district early on Saturday. While forest guard Shivaraj sustained injuries and is being treated at a hospital, a member of the poaching group managed to escape and a search is on to trace him, officials said.
Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.
The encounter between four poachers armed with country made guns and a seven-member strong forest team that was engaged in patrolling in the forest is said to have occurred between 5.15 am and 5.30 am. The alleged poachers have not been identified.
It is said the four suspects entered deep inside on foot at Shagya section of Hanur range and allegedly poached an herbivore, suspected to be a deer. The gang allegedly skinned the animal and were carrying away the meat when the forest patrol came across them. The forest personnel were acting on information about hunting, forest minister Ramalinga Reddy said.
Poachers are said to have initiated firing at the patrolling personnel and in retaliation, forest guards opened fire at them. In the exchange of fire, three suspects fell to bullet injuries. Two poachers were discovered in an unconscious state and the other one was awake; three of them died en route to hospital, officials said.
The point at which the encounter took place is about 8-km from forest boundary and forest officials suspected the meat seized from poachers belongs to deer but forensic science experts have been roped in to ascertain the meat.
Meanwhile, forest officials have gathered information that the poachers shot dead in the encounter belong to Thomiyarpalya in Hanur taluk. Efforts are on to establish the identities of the dead jointly by forest and police personnel.
“The Chief Minister directed that a magistrate inquiry be conducted to ascertain the facts from both sides. We need to find out what actually happened and whether the firing was deliberate or carried out in self-defence,” minister Reddy said.
According to Reddy, two forest teams entered the area after receiving information that the hunters had gone hunting and followed a torchlight before intercepting them. The men allegedly had two country-made pistols and four bags containing deer meat, Reddy said.
“At that point, they allegedly attempted to fire. The forest personnel told them, ‘We will fire in self-defence.’ Two of them died on the spot. One person was injured and was taken to hospital, where he reportedly died,” he said.
Shivakumar said several articles had been seized and that the facts would emerge after the magisterial inquiry.
Relatives of the deceased allegedly vandalised the Shagya forest office in Hanur taluk, damaging furniture, equipment, a motorcycle and the office board, said the officials. Furniture and other articles were also thrown onto the road. They staged a protest in Chamarajanagar and Mysuru.
Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj condemned the encounter and demanded criminal action against those responsible. “If the ministers genuinely have concern about this, they should first resign. A murder case should be filed against them. They should not be booked under an ordinary case; a murder case should be filed against them,” Nagaraj said.
“We are giving life imprisonment to so many people. They have killed three people together today. This is not right,” he said. Nagaraj said he would stage a satyagraha in front of the forest department office.
The encounter between four poachers armed with country made guns and a seven-member strong forest team that was engaged in patrolling in the forest is said to have occurred between 5.15 am and 5.30 am. The alleged poachers have not been identified.
It is said the four suspects entered deep inside on foot at Shagya section of Hanur range and allegedly poached an herbivore, suspected to be a deer. The gang allegedly skinned the animal and were carrying away the meat when the forest patrol came across them. The forest personnel were acting on information about hunting, forest minister Ramalinga Reddy said.
Poachers are said to have initiated firing at the patrolling personnel and in retaliation, forest guards opened fire at them. In the exchange of fire, three suspects fell to bullet injuries. Two poachers were discovered in an unconscious state and the other one was awake; three of them died en route to hospital, officials said.
The point at which the encounter took place is about 8-km from forest boundary and forest officials suspected the meat seized from poachers belongs to deer but forensic science experts have been roped in to ascertain the meat.
Meanwhile, forest officials have gathered information that the poachers shot dead in the encounter belong to Thomiyarpalya in Hanur taluk. Efforts are on to establish the identities of the dead jointly by forest and police personnel.
“The Chief Minister directed that a magistrate inquiry be conducted to ascertain the facts from both sides. We need to find out what actually happened and whether the firing was deliberate or carried out in self-defence,” minister Reddy said.
According to Reddy, two forest teams entered the area after receiving information that the hunters had gone hunting and followed a torchlight before intercepting them. The men allegedly had two country-made pistols and four bags containing deer meat, Reddy said.
“At that point, they allegedly attempted to fire. The forest personnel told them, ‘We will fire in self-defence.’ Two of them died on the spot. One person was injured and was taken to hospital, where he reportedly died,” he said.
Shivakumar said several articles had been seized and that the facts would emerge after the magisterial inquiry.
Relatives of the deceased allegedly vandalised the Shagya forest office in Hanur taluk, damaging furniture, equipment, a motorcycle and the office board, said the officials. Furniture and other articles were also thrown onto the road. They staged a protest in Chamarajanagar and Mysuru.
Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj condemned the encounter and demanded criminal action against those responsible. “If the ministers genuinely have concern about this, they should first resign. A murder case should be filed against them. They should not be booked under an ordinary case; a murder case should be filed against them,” Nagaraj said.
“We are giving life imprisonment to so many people. They have killed three people together today. This is not right,” he said. Nagaraj said he would stage a satyagraha in front of the forest department office.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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