Echo of Hanur forest encounter, Bandipur arms seizure

Bengaluru: Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has warned people possessing unlicenced weapons, particularly those living in and around forest areas, to surrender them before Nov. 1.

Speaking after offering floral tributes at the Forest Martyrs’ Day event in Bengaluru yesterday, he said people should surrender illegal and unlicenced weapons within a month, failing which strict action would be taken.

The directive comes nearly a month after an encounter with poachers near Hanur and the seizure of a cache of imported guns and pistols near Bandipur, raising concerns over the circulation of illegal firearms in and around national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and protected forests.

“The Government has intelligence inputs. Teams will go to the houses of people who do not voluntarily surrender their weapons or obtain licences, seize the weapons and take action. No case will be registered if the weapons are declared and voluntarily handed over,” Shivakumar said.

He added that the issue had been discussed at length with Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Ramalinga Reddy, who had expressed concern over farmers and people living in forest areas keeping weapons.

The Hanur encounter in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary landscape, in which three suspected hunters were killed, had highlighted the dangers posed by armed poaching groups.

The concerns deepened days later when Forest Department officials raided a farmhouse at Kebbepura village in the Kundakere Range of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve and seized sophisticated firearms, including Swiss, German and US-made weapons, along with live ammunition.

“The illegal firearms posed a direct threat to forest personnel and wildlife,” Shivakumar said. The CM recalled that retired senior officer Ramamurthy had earlier brought to his notice the widespread possession of country-made guns in rural areas.

“We have information that many such country-made guns and rifles are still in circulation. Many forest personnel have lost their lives because of unlicensed firearms,” he said.