Karnataka BJP forms fact-finding team on Hanur poacher shootout

The Karnataka BJP on Tuesday, August 18, constituted a fact-finding team to ascertain the circumstances leading to the firing by forest officials that killed three suspected poachers in the Hanur wildlife range on August 15, the party said.

The team comprises state BJP vice-president N Mahesh, state secretary Lakshmi Ashwin Gowda, state president of the party's Minority Morcha Anil Thomas, former MLA C S Niranjan Kumar, and party leader Hanur Venkatesh, according to the party.

The three alleged poachers were killed in an exchange of fire with forest department personnel near Shaagya, in the Holemuradatti forest of the Hanur wildlife range within the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district.

"A fact-finding team has been constituted by the Karnataka State BJP to ascertain the truth regarding the shooting incident that occurred at around 5:00 a.m. on 15 August 2026," the party said in a statement.

The committee members have been directed to visit the incident site, conduct an inspection and submit a comprehensive report within a week, the party added.

Separately, the state government has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident, with Kollegal Assistant Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Meena investigating the matter.

(Inputs from PTI)