Forest officers' body defends foresters involved in firing incident

Bengaluru - The Karnataka State Range Forest Officers Association has come to the defense of the forest personnel involved in a controversial shooting incident in Chamarajanagar district on August 15. Three suspected poachers were killed, sparking outrage across Tamil Nadu and leading to calls for an investigation. The association maintains that the forest officers only fired in self-defense to protect wildlife and their own lives.

They emphasized that the deaths were regrettable and condemned the registration of a police case against the officials. The association also noted that various pressures are being applied to the government, targeting forest department personnel on social media, which is detrimental to the morale of the staff. They stressed the need for a proper investigation into the incident before taking any action.

The incident has become a sensitive issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, with demands for an independent probe growing in Tamil Nadu. The Karnataka government maintains that the men entered the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary for illegal hunting, but the details of the incident are still under investigation.