Row Over 3 'Poachers' Shot Dead In Karnataka, Vijay Says They Were Tamils

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has condemned the shooting of three Tamil men in Karnataka's Chamarajanagar district. Calling the explanation provided by the Karnataka forest department "unacceptable", he demanded a thorough probe into the deaths. 

"Anthony Sami, John Rose Peter, and Kumar, who were Tamils residing in villages in the Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka, were shot dead by Karnataka Forest Department officials in the early hours of August 15, 2026, in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary area. I strongly condemn this massacre," he said in a post on social media platform X. 

கர்நாடகாவின் சாம்ராஜ் நகர் மாவட்டம், ஹனூர் தாலுக்காவில் உள்ள கிராமங்களில் வசித்து வந்த தமிழர்களான அந்தோணி சாமி, ஜான் ரோஸ் பீட்டர், குமார் ஆகியோர், 2026 ஆகஸ்ட் 15 அன்று அதிகாலையில், காவிரி வனவிலங்கு சரணாலயப் பகுதியில், கர்நாடக வனத் துறையினரால் சுட்டுக் கொல்லப்பட்டது வேதனை...

— TVK Vijay (@TVKVijayHQ) August 16, 2026

"The Karnataka government must provide all necessary assistance to the families of the victims," he added.
Early this morning, suspected poachers had allegedly entered the forest to hunt wildlife. Acting on a tip-off, forest officials had rushed to the area.

Sources said the poachers had allegedly opened fire at forest personnel, who retaliated, leading to a gunfight.

Three men, suspected of being poachers, were killed in the exchange of fire. The men were identified as Antony Swamy, Peter and Kumar.

"I received the information around 5 am about the forest department personnel conducting an encounter with those who had gone to hunt animals," said Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. 

The state, he said, has ordered a magisterial inquiry in which the "facts will come out".