Cauvery sanctuary killings: Karnataka LoP demands judicial probe

Three persons were killed in an encounter in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka, prompting Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok to demand a judicial inquiry into the incident. Speaking in Bengaluru on Sunday, Mr. Ashok also urged that the forest officials involved in the encounter should be kept away from duty until the truth comes out.

The encounter, which took place inside the sanctuary, is said to be the first such incident in the state's Forest Department in the past ten years. Mr. Ashok, a senior BJP leader and former minister, sought clarity on whether the encounter was fake or genuine, and pointed to several apparent irregularities in the handling of the case.

"If someone commits a mistake, they should be warned or arrested. But in this incident, they were shot directly in the chest," Mr. Ashok said. He also alleged that the bodies were taken to Mysuru even before the police could conduct a mahazar, a legal document prepared at the scene of a crime. The department has also not disclosed whether the deceased had any prior criminal cases against them, he added.

Drawing attention to a "vast difference" between what local people and department officials were saying, Mr. Ashok asserted that a departmental inquiry would not bring a solution. "A judicial inquiry is needed for the truth to come out," he said.

Separately, Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy questioned the necessity of opening fire on the three persons. Speaking to media persons in Guledagudda, Mr. Kumaraswamy said, "Were they dreaded forest poachers like Veerappan to be killed?" He argued that as per norms, the forest officials could have nabbed the trio alive or shot at their legs if they had indulged in poaching and if they had tried to attack the officials.

The Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, known for its diverse flora and fauna and the Cauvery river flowing through it, is a protected area in southern Karnataka. The killing of three people there has raised serious questions about the use of lethal force by forest officials, with political leaders from both the opposition and the ruling front calling for transparency.

While Mr. Ashok's demand for a judicial inquiry seeks to establish the facts behind the encounter, the absence of an officially released sequence of events has left the public in the dark. The families of the deceased have also not yet come forward with a detailed account, and the Forest Department has remained silent on the demand to identify and remove the officials involved until an investigation is completed.

This case also highlights the challenges forest guards face in protecting wildlife and dealing with poaching and illegal timber smuggling. At the same time, leaders from various political parties have stressed that such situations must be handled in a manner that upholds the law and respects human rights, making the demand for an impartial judicial inquiry all the more significant.