Bengaluru: Tension erupted in Hanur of Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar district after three men were killed in an exchange of fire with forest officials, who claimed they had entered the forest to hunt wildlife. The families of the deceased rejected the allegation, triggering protests that later turned violent.
According to Karnataka forest authorities, the three men were allegedly hunting wildlife and cutting up the meat inside the forest under the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary when forest officials confronted them. The officials reportedly ordered them to surrender their weapons, but the men allegedly opened fire on the forest personnel. The officials then retaliated, killing all three.
The deceased were identified as residents of Thomiyarpalayam in Hanur taluk. Their bodies were shifted to a mortuary in Mysuru, where post-mortem procedures were completed after their relatives arrived, officials said.
The deaths sparked anger among residents, relatives and friends of the deceased, who strongly disputed the forest department’s version of events. A group of protesters stormed the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary office and vandalised it, throwing furniture and other items onto the road.
A large crowd gathered outside the office following the incident, prompting police to strengthen security in the area as a precaution. Additional personnel were deployed in Hanur to prevent further escalation and maintain law and order.
The confrontation and the subsequent violence have intensified tensions in the area, with the families continuing to challenge the authorities’ claim that the three men were involved in wildlife hunting.
With mathrubhumi.com inputs