Three men were killed during a shootout with forest personnel inside the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar district on Saturday morning. Forest Minister Ramalinga Reddy stated that the incident occurred in the Holemuridatti forest area, where a group of four men allegedly engaged in illegal hunting. Two individuals died at the scene, while a third succumbed to injuries at a hospital; one suspect remains at large.
Forest officials reported that the group opened fire with country-made weapons when confronted by staff, leading to a retaliatory exchange. One forest official was reportedly injured during the encounter. The bodies of the deceased, identified as Antony Swamy, Peter, and Kumar, were transported to Mysuru for postmortem examinations as authorities investigate the weapons and wildlife involved.
The families of the deceased and local villagers have contested the official account, claiming the men were farmers who were shot without provocation. Following the incident, protesters damaged a forest office and blocked the Hanur-Male Mahadeshwara Hills Road to demand compensation and accountability. District in-charge minister C. Puttarangashetty and MLA Manjunath have since met with the demonstrators to address their concerns.
