Archive · 18 Aug 2026
Karnataka forest minister defends firing that killed three poachers
Some forest guards in India were working in a wildlife sanctuary.
They heard that people were hunting animals there.
At night, they found four men in the forest.
The guards say the men tried to shoot at them first.
So the guards fired back to protect themselves.
Three of the men were killed in the shooting.
One man, Mahima Das, ran away with small injuries.
The guards found two homemade guns and bags of deer meat.
The forest minister says the guards had no grudge against the men.
Some politicians want a judge to investigate, and the government has started an official inquiry.
Forest Minister Ramalinga Reddy defended the firing that killed three alleged poachers in Chamarajanagar, calling it self-defence.
The incident occurred Saturday morning in the Datti forest area under the Shagya range of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
Forest personnel acting on a tip about hunting encountered four men, three of whom were killed in an exchange of fire.
The fourth man, Mahima Das, allegedly fled after sustaining minor injuries.
Two country-made pistols and four bags of deer meat were seized, and a magisterial inquiry ordered by Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is underway.
- Who
- Forest Minister Ramalinga Reddy, forest personnel, three alleged poachers killed, and opposition legislators in the Karnataka Legislative Council.
- What
- Forest personnel fired at and killed three alleged poachers in an exchange of fire; the minister defended the action as self-defence.
- When
- Saturday morning; the minister's defence came on Monday.
- Where
- Datti forest area under the Shagya range of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Chamarajanagar, Karnataka.
- Why
- Forest personnel acted on information about hunting and allegedly fired in self-defence after the men attempted to shoot at them.
Forest Department
Opposition
Justification for the firing
Forest Department
Forest personnel acted in self-defence with no prior enmity and no deliberate killing.
Opposition
Opposition demanded a judicial inquiry, questioning the official account of the incident.
Type of inquiry
Forest Department
A magisterial inquiry ordered by the Chief Minister is underway and will establish the facts.
Opposition
Opposition wants a judicial inquiry into the deaths.
- Minister
- Ramalinga Reddy
- Incident date
- Saturday morning
- Location
- Datti forest area, Shagya range, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, Chamarajanagar
- Casualties
- 3 alleged poachers killed, 1 injured
- Survivor
- Mahima Das
- Seized items
- 2 country-made pistols, 4 bags of deer meat
- Inquiry
- Magisterial inquiry ordered by Chief Minister D K Shivakumar
- Opposition demand
- Judicial inquiry