Karnataka BJP forms fact-finding team after 3 suspected poachers killed in forest firing

Three alleged poachers were killed in an exchange of fire with forest department personnel near Shaagya, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, in the Hanur taluk.

The Karnataka BJP on Tuesday constituted a fact-finding team to ascertain the facts regarding the circumstances leading to the firing carried out by forest officials that killed three suspected poachers in Hanur wildlife range on August 15.

A motorcycle, furniture, and other articles belonging to the Shagya forest office lay damaged on a road after relatives of alleged poachers, who were killed in an exchange of fire with forest personnel in the Datti forest area under the Shagya range, vandalised the forest office after the encounter, at Hanur taluk, Karnataka. (File Photo/PTI)

The fact-finding team comprises state BJP vice-president N Mahesh, state secretary Lakshmi Ashwin Gowda, the state president of the party's Minority Morcha Anil Thomas, former MLA C S Niranjan Kumar, and party leader Hanur Venkatesh.

Three alleged poachers were killed in an exchange of fire with forest department personnel near Shaagya, in the Holemuradatti forest of the Hanur wildlife range, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district.

"A fact-finding team has been constituted by the Karnataka State BJP to ascertain the truth regarding the shooting incident that occurred at around 5:00 a.m. on 15 August 2026," the party said in a statement.

The members of the committee have been directed to visit the incident site, conduct an inspection, and submit a comprehensive report within a week.

The state government has constituted a magisterial probe into the incident, and Kollegal Assistant Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Meena is investigating.