Tamil Nadu Leaders Condemn Killing of Three Tamils by Karnataka Forest Personnel

CHENNAI — Political leaders across party lines in Chennai on Sunday strongly condemned the killing of three Tamils by the Karnataka Forest Department, demanding murder cases against the forest personnel involved, a judicial inquiry, and financial assistance for the victims' families.

DMK president M.K. Stalin, posting on social media, termed the brutal killing of three Tamils in a forest area of Karnataka as shocking. He stated that the act was carried out with no regard for human life and condemned it in strong terms. Stalin alleged that the Karnataka Forest Department is making efforts to shield the culprits and insisted that the incident should be registered as a murder case. He also called for a transparent and impartial judicial investigation, punishment for those responsible, and urged the Tamil Nadu government to provide compensation and government jobs to the families of the deceased.

MDMK general secretary Vaiko urged the Karnataka government to register murder cases against the forest personnel involved. Vaiko stated that innocent Tamils who had gone into the forest in search of their cattle were killed, and demanded that the Karnataka government pay compensation to the victims' families.

CPI State secretary M. Veerapandian also stated that the three victims had entered the forest solely to look for their missing cattle. He said the forest department was making false allegations to divert the issue, and demanded that the concerned forest staff be suspended and arrested immediately. CPI-M State secretary P. Shanmugam similarly urged the Tamil Nadu government to condemn the incident.

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss asserted that the three Tamils had not engaged in any illegal activities, rejecting the Karnataka Forest Department's claim that they were killed in an encounter as false. Leaders also called on Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to formally condemn the Karnataka government over the incident.