Bengaluru: A sandalwood smuggler was killed after Karnataka forest officials opened fire on a gang who tried to attack their team in a forest in Tumkuru district, official said.
The incident was reported from Kenkere forest in Huliyurudurga forest range in Kunigal taluk as Forest Department officials surrounded the three smugglers and asked them to surrender.
The three smugglers attacked the five member Forest Department team with machetes and axes as result of this, (forest official) Mahesh Gowda opened fire in the air to warn these attackers, however, the smugglers tried to attack him… as a result, Gowda opened fire at them, leaving one person dead on the spot while two others fled from the scene, the official said.
The members of the five member team were injured in this attack and are receiving treatment in a government hospital.Ā According to the forest officials, the deceased is yet to be identified as his two accomplices had fled.
The official said that forest guard Shekharo heard the noise of tree cutting on Friday night and raised alarm and then the sound stopped for a while. However, the gang resumed tree cutting on Saturday morning and immediately the guard alerted Gowda, who formed a special team to nab these smugglers.