Aug. 15 Forest Encounter Case

Kollegal Assistant Commissioner seeks 4 to 5 days to wind up investigation

Chamarajanagar: The submission of the Magisterial inquiry report into the Aug. 15 encounter in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary has been delayed, with Investigating Officer and Kollegal Assistant Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Meena seeking another four to five days to complete the probe.

During a search for suspected poachers on the intervening night of Aug. 14 and 15, Forest officials shot dead Antony Swamy (50), John Rose Peter (43) and Sebastian David Kumar (35), in the Hanur region of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.

The State Government ordered a Magisterial inquiry to establish the circumstances leading to the firing and determine whether criminal proceedings should be initiated against the Forest officials.

Chamarajanagar Deputy Commissioner Shreeroopa confirmed that the Investigating Officer had sought additional time. “We have granted him four to five days’ extension,” she said.

The DC had earlier appointed Dinesh Kumar Meena to conduct the inquiry and given him a week to submit the report. With the extension, the report is now expected later this week.

According to sources, statements have been recorded from Forest staff, senior Forest Department officials and key eyewitness Mahima Das. The report is expected to provide a detailed account of the sequence of events and will be submitted to the Government.

The incident triggered widespread protests in Hanur, with locals alleging that Forest staff had misused their powers.

Public disturbances were also reported during the protests, following which the Police registered an FIR against Ganganadoddi Govinda and his associates for damaging public property and causing inconvenience to the public.