Karnataka ‘poacher’ killings: Forensics indicate men shot from close range, witness goes ‘missing’

The killings of three men, believed to be poachers, in Karnataka's Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary have raised concerns over encounters and forest department practices. The incident occurred on August 15, 2021, when a group of three men were shot dead in an encounter. The names of the deceased were Anthony Swamy, 50; his brother-in-law Sebastian David Kumar, 35; and John Rose Peter, 43. The fourth survivor, Joseph Mahima Das, is currently missing after being admitted to a hospital.

Neighbors and family members of the deceased are questioning the official claims by the Forest Department that the men were indeed poachers. The families maintain that they were searching for their missing cattle. The forest guard who carried out the shooting allegedly used a pump-action repeater gun loaded with cartridges, which discharged all its rounds in rapid succession. Forensic findings indicate that the three men were killed by a single shotgun fired at close range.

The forest staff reportedly tried to convince the poachers to surrender, but they responded with aggression. The minister responsible for forest affairs, Ramalinga Reddy, stated that the men attacked the forest guards, and the shootout ensued. According to Reddy, the injuries sustained by the victims were caused by the gun's pellets and gunpowder, scattering upon impact.

The families of the deceased deny the forest department's allegations and claim that the men were unarmed and did not pose any threat to the forest staff. They argue that the men were searching for their cattle and were merely exploring the forest. The families also contest the forest department's claim that the men had country-made weapons, stating that the weapons seized did not belong to them.