Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 15 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday said a magistrate-led investigation has been ordered into the Hanur shootout in which three suspected poachers were killed in firing by forest personnel, asserting that the complete facts of the incident will be known only after the probe.
"A magistrate-led investigation has been ordered into the shootout case in Hanur. Complete information will be provided after the investigation," Shivakumar said while responding to media queries near the Sangolli Rayanna statue at Majestic.
The Chief Minister said he received information about the incident at around 5 am and that several witnesses had been questioned, while evidence, including items and guns, had been seized.
"I received information about the incident at 5 a.m. The truth will be known after the investigation. The shootout took place in a forest area. Several witnesses have been questioned, and items and guns have been seized. The media is broadcasting various stories. Some people have been arrested, and the bodies are being taken for post-mortem," he said.
Three suspected poachers were killed in an exchange of fire with forest personnel in the early hours of Saturday at Maria Mangala Beat near Shagya village in Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district.
The deceased have been identified as Antoniswamy, Peter and Kumar, residents of Thomiyar Palya village in the Maria Mangala Beat area. They are suspected to have entered the forest illegally for hunting.
According to the forest personnel's account, the officials on duty at Maria Mangala opened fire after the suspected poachers allegedly pointed a gun at them. The bodies were initially taken to the morgue of Kollegal Government Hospital, where police have deployed a security cordon.
Following the incident, police and forest department officials held a meeting with residents of Maria Mangala and Jagannath Dhodi villages. Chamarajanagar Superintendent of Police Muthuraj, along with senior police and forest officials, met villagers as the investigation continued.
Chamarajanagar District In-charge Minister Puttaranga Shetty said officials had claimed that four people had gone into the forest for hunting and that the firing took place after the group allegedly pointed a gun at forest personnel.
"What they (police and forest officials) are saying is that four people had gone hunting for meat. They say, 'We attacked them at 5:20 in the morning. Then they pointed a gun at us, so we shot them.' That's what they say. But the public there is not saying that. People are giving different versions of the incident," Shetty said.
He said he would examine the circumstances before drawing any conclusion on whether the firing was deliberate.
"How can I say that right now? I need to examine it first; I need to find out," the Minister said.
Shetty said the incident would be examined in the context of the time of the firing and the circumstances in which the forest personnel opened fire.
"As I said, they claim it happened at 5:20. In my opinion, 5:20 means it is probably dawn. I go for walks myself, right? It won't be that dark. Let's see how it actually happened," he said.
The Minister also expressed concern over the deaths of three people and said the circumstances would have to be examined before any action was taken.
Meanwhile, Congress leader R Narendra alleged that the incident reflected a failure of the Forest Department and demanded a detailed investigation and action against officials found responsible.
Narendra said he learnt about the incident after attending a flag-hoisting programme at the Congress office in Hanur and immediately contacted the Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), as the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) was away for training.
"When I spoke to the ACF, he said: 'Sir, in the early morning at 5 AM in the forest, they were returning after hunting. There was an encounter. Three people died. They fired at us first, then we returned fire. That's how the three died,'" Narendra said.
He said the ACF informed him that the bodies had been taken to Kollegal Government Hospital, where one person had died and two others were initially alive.
"Even while taking them to the hospital, they did not inform their higher officials. They brought them directly from there to KR Hospital in the city. They should have taken them to the district hospital in the city, but instead brought them here. We don't know why they were brought here," Narendra alleged.
According to Narendra, seven forest officials were present during the alleged exchange of fire, while senior officials were away for training.
"At first glance, this appears to be a complete failure on the part of the Forest Department officials. The higher officials were not there -- they had gone for training. But the ACF and others were there. I asked how many officials were present. They said seven. Seven officials were there during the alleged exchange of fire," he claimed.
Narendra demanded that all officials involved in the incident be investigated and action taken if wrongdoing is established.
"My demand is that there should be a proper investigation. Action should be taken against all 12 officials -- whoever was involved, including the seven. A murder case should be filed against all three. After investigation, if it is found that they actually shot them after making them surrender, then strict punishment should be given," he stated.
"There is no doubt that innocent people have been killed by the Forest Department officials," Narendra alleged, adding that he believed officials were attempting to cover up lapses.
He also said one person who was allegedly present with the deceased and has information about the incident is currently in hospital, and that they would meet him to gather further details.
Narendra said he had informed senior officials, including the Deputy Commissioner, about the incident and maintained that the protest would continue until the facts were established and appropriate legal action was taken.
"We will gather complete information. Whoever from the Forest Department is involved -- whether they are trying to protect someone or not -- no one will be protected. We are ready to take whatever legal action is required against all of them. Until then, our protest will continue," he said.
The bodies of the three deceased have been sent for post-mortem as police and forest officials continue their investigation. (ANI)
Magistrate-led probe ordered after 3 suspected poachers killed in forest firing: CM Shivakumar on Hanur shootout
