Chennai, August 16: PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss has called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the shooting deaths of three Tamil youths by Karnataka forest department personnel near the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Chamarajanagar district.
He expressed condolences to the families of the deceased, identified as Anthony Sami, John Rose Peter, and Kumar, who hailed from the villages of Jagannathothi, Mariyamangalam, and Lasardothi, respectively.
Anbumani claimed that forest guards from the Kollegala division opened fire on the victims, who were not engaged in any illegal activities. The Karnataka Forest Department contends that the individuals entered the forest for deer poaching and were killed during an encounter. However, the families of the deceased have dismissed this claim, accusing the authorities of fabricating a false encounter story to cover up the murders.
According to Anbumani, the victims were Tamil families who relocated to the Mariyamangalam area of Chamarajanagar district nearly a century ago after losing their homes and land due to the construction of the Mettur Dam. He noted that these families later settled in Karnataka in search of livelihood.
He stated that there is no evidence of deer poaching or any armed confrontation between the forest officials and the victims in the Mariyamangalam forest area. He also challenged the forest department’s assertion that the deceased were armed. Following these killings, protests have erupted among the Tamil residents in the region, leading to heightened tensions.
Local political representatives, including Congress MLA and district in-charge minister Puttaranga Shetty and JD(S) MLA Manjunath, have reportedly questioned why the operation was conducted at dawn. Human rights activists have also condemned the actions of the forest department.
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has ordered a magistrate inquiry into the conflicting claims surrounding the incident. However, Anbumani argues that a magistrate inquiry alone will not reveal the full truth and insists that the case should be handed over to the CBI.
He has urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to condemn the Karnataka government and to pressure for a compensation of one crore rupees for each of the families of the deceased.
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