BJP demands judicial inquiry into killing of three persons

Leader of Opposition R. Ashok has called for a judicial inquiry into the encounter in Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary that resulted in the deaths of three individuals. He questioned the involvement of officials in the incident and urged them to refrain from duty until the truth emerges, marking the first such case in the Forest Department in the past decade.

Ashok emphasized that any errors should be addressed through warnings or arrests, but in this case, the officials were directly shot in the chest, and the bodies were transported to Mysuru before a police mahazar could be conducted. Furthermore, the Forest Department has not revealed any prior criminal records of the individuals involved.

Ashok highlighted the stark contrast between the public's assertions and the statements made by department officials, suggesting that a judicial inquiry is necessary to uncover the truth. Union Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy also commented on the matter, expressing skepticism about the necessity of firing upon the individuals and contemplating whether they were notorious poachers akin to Veerappan.

He argued that according to protocols, the forest officials should have apprehended them alive or aimed at their legs during an attempted poaching incident, rather than resorting to lethal force.