Karnataka forest killing revives memories of chilling gunning down of 20 Tamil Nadu woodcutters in Andhra Pradesh
On April 7, 2015, 20 woodcutters from Tamil Nadu were brutally gunned down by a team of personnel from the Andhra Pradesh Police and Forest Departments in the Seshachalam forest area at the foot of the Tirumala Hills
On August 15, 2026, three Tamil-speaking men were killed by Karnataka foresters following an alleged exchange of fire and suspected poaching activity. This incident has brought back memories of a 2015 forest massacre that had shaken the nation. In 2015, the newly-formed Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Taskforce in Andhra Pradesh killed 20 Tamil Nadu woodcutters in the Seshachalam forest area.
The Taskforce claimed they were conducting a combing operation when they found over 100 woodcutters felling trees and carrying logs. Upon demanding their surrender, the woodcutters attacked the team, injuring some of them. The Taskforce then opened fire, killing all 20 woodcutters. The timing of the encounter has raised eyebrows, as it came just three days after Deputy Inspector General of Police M. Kantha Rao had sought permission to open fire at those illegally entering the forest.
The incident led to widespread outrage and fear, with many relatives of the deceased staying away, claiming only seven bodies. The AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu, led by O. Panneerselvam, provided solatium to the families of the deceased. Human rights activists questioned the legitimacy of the encounter, citing inconsistencies in the First Information Report and suggesting the woodcutters were subjected to torture before their deaths.
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