Poachers reportedly killed two forest personnel by drowning them in Kabini backwaters at Gundre Forest Range under Bandipur Tiger Reserve in the taluk on Saturday.
Mahesh (26) of Punajur in Chamarajanagar district and Shivakumar (33) of Bhramagiri village in HD Kote taluk, Mysuru district are the deceased. While the body of Mahesh was recovered, the body of Shivakumar is yet to be retrieved. Mahesh wasworking as a forest guard and Shivakumar was a contract employee. According to Assistant Conservator of Forests K Paramesh, the poachers had indulged in illegal fishing in Kabini backwaters on eight to 10 coracles. On a tip off, nine Forest department personnel, including a driver, reached the spot.
Four personnel in one coracle tried to catch the poachers. “On seeing our personnel, the smugglers attacked and sank the coracle into the water. While two of them drowned, two others escaped,” he said. An officer said all the nine personnel were not able to take part in the raid as there was only one coracle. Despite wearing safety equipment, two of them drowned, he said. The Beechanahalli police are investigating the case.
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