CHENNAI: Forest Minister R V Ranjithkumar, on Tuesday, informed the Assembly that the state government was considering offering Rs 10 lakh each to the family members of the three Tamils who were killed by the Karnataka forest department in a shootout on August 14, after discussing with Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.
Responding to a special calling-attention motion on the incident, minister Ranjithkumar said, “It has been brought to the knowledge of the CM, and there is a proposal under consideration to provide Rs 10 lakh. It will be decided soon, after discussing it in detail with the CM,” he told the House.
While DMK’s Manoj Pandian sought for a detailed judicial inquiry into the incident and asked what action has been taken by the state government, AIADMK’s general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami demanded for a CBI probe for a free and fair investigation.
Responding to the opposition, Law Minister C T R Nirmal Kumar said that three three persons — P Anthonysamy, John Rose Peter and Kumar — were killed when the trio allegedly attempted poaching in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Chamarajanagar district.
Stating that the Karnataka government has come forward to provide Rs 5 lakh as compensation, Nirmal Kumar said that the Karnataka CM has promised for a proper inquiry and a case has been filed against the forest officials involved.
Later in the evening, Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, in a post on X, expressed shock that the state government has not officially condemned the Karnataka government over the incident.
Referring to the South India Chief Ministers’ meeting to be held in Chennai on Wednesday, Udhayanidhi urged CM Vijay to seek an explanation from the Karnataka CM during the meeting and ensure actions are being taken against the officials responsible for the incident.
The CPI on Tuesday staged a protest in Chennai condemning the incident.