BENGALURU: A 28-year-old sandalwood tree poacher was shot dead by a forest guard at Kalkere forest area in the vicinity of the Bannerghatta National Park at 1.15 am on Wednesday. The poacher, identified as Thimmarayappa, was a native of Malur taluk in Kolar district. He had come with his associate to cut the sandalwood trees. The associate has managed to escape.
The forest guard, along with two watchers who were on patrol, heard the sound of someone cutting tree. After noticing two men cutting the trees, the forest guard Vinay asked them to surrender. When the accused tried to attack them with tree-cutting tools while trying to escape, one of them was shot dead. Patrolling had been intensified in the forest as there were many complaints of sandalwood trees theft cases. The details of the accused who has fled is yet to be known.
“The poachers were surrounded by the guard and the watchers. After they were asked to surrender, the accused tried to attack them with a machete. The forest guard warned them by opening one round in the air. But when the poachers tried to attack again, the guard opened fire and one of the poachers died on the spot,” said the police. The Bannerghatta police has registered a case.