The police have identified the man who was killed when a forest guard opened fire in a sandalwood plantation in Tirumala Devara Gudda near Devihalli in Hassan taluk early on Wednesday.
Manje Gowda, son of Basave Gowda, a resident of Mathighatta near Halebid in Belur taluk, was killed in the firing, said the officials.
Forest guard Suresh opened fire early on Wednesday at the suspected woodcutters in the sandalwood plantation. The department has sandalwood plantations spread over 600 hectares. The guard opened fire after the suspected woodcutters allegedly threw stones and sticks at them. “Manje Gowda’s relatives have also contacted the police. I hope the police will be able to find all those who entered the sandalwood plantation to cut trees,” said M.L. Manjunath, Deputy Conservator of Forests. A similar incident was reported in Ramadevara Halla Forest, which is also known as the sandalwood reserve, in 2012. A person had died during police firing. However, the deceased could not be identified. “The police had made all efforts to trace his relatives. But nobody claimed the body,” the DFO said.
