BENGALURU: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday said a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the deaths of three alleged poachers in an exchange of fire with forest personnel in the Datti forest area under the Shagya Forest Range. He told the media on Saturday, “The incident took place inside the forest area. I received information about the encounter around 5 am.
I have ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.” Forest Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the incident occurred around 5 am in the reserve forest area falling under the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary after the forest personnel, acting on information about poaching, encountered four men. “The chief minister has directed that a magistrate conduct an inquiry to find out what exactly happened and whether the firing was deliberate or carried out in self-defence,” Reddy said.
He said forest officials received information about poaching by four persons, and two teams were formed to nab them. The hunters allegedly carried bags containing deer meat and two country-made pistols.
The forest personnel said the poachers opened fire at them, and they returned fire in self-defence. “Two of them died on the spot, and one died at hospital. The fourth person managed to escape,” Reddy said, adding that action will be taken once the probe is completed.