Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar Warns Tamil Nadu Leaders Against Interference Over Chamarajanagar Shootout

Bengaluru, August 18, 2026; Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday urged political leaders in Tamil Nadu to refrain from commenting on the administration of another state amid growing controversy over the deaths of three Tamil-origin men in Chamarajanagar district.

The remarks came after Tamil Nadu leaders demanded a thorough investigation into the August 15 incident in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, where Anthony Sami, John Rose Peter and Kumar were killed in firing by Karnataka forest personnel during an alleged anti-poaching operation.

Shivakumar maintained that Karnataka would handle the matter through its own administrative and legal mechanisms. He stressed that states should respect each other’s jurisdiction and concentrate on resolving issues within their respective territories.

The Chief Minister said a magistrate-led inquiry had already been ordered to establish what happened during the early-morning operation near Hanur. He said investigators had questioned several witnesses and collected material evidence, including weapons and other articles connected with the incident.

According to the preliminary version provided by forest officials, personnel stationed near Maria Mangala encountered a group allegedly involved in hunting. The officials claimed that firing occurred after one of the suspected poachers allegedly pointed a firearm at them.

However, the official account has been disputed by local residents, who have reportedly offered different versions of the events. Karnataka District In-charge Minister Puttaranga Shetty acknowledged the conflicting accounts and said the investigation would have to establish the actual sequence of events.

Security was deployed around the bodies at the Kollegal Government Hospital morgue following the incident. Police and forest officials have also held discussions with residents of Maria Mangala and Jagannath Dhodi villages as part of the ongoing inquiry.

The deaths have triggered a political response in Tamil Nadu. Opposition parties, including the AIADMK, raised the issue in the state Assembly, with party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami calling for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.

Tamil Nadu Law Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar told the Assembly that the explanation offered by Karnataka was not satisfactory and that the neighbouring state should conduct a proper investigation. He also said the affected families had received compensation of Rs 5 lakh from the Karnataka government.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay had earlier condemned the deaths and called for a comprehensive inquiry, describing the Karnataka forest department’s explanation as unacceptable.

With competing accounts emerging from officials and local residents, the Karnataka inquiry is expected to determine the circumstances surrounding the firing and the deaths of the three men. Shivakumar has maintained that the facts should be established through the investigation rather than through political intervention from outside the state.