Days after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay condemned the Chamarajanagar shootout, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar hit out at him for the “interference” “No state should interfere with another
state’s administration,” he said, responding to the remarks by Tamil Nadu leaders.
“States have their own problems. They should also know that we know how to protect our state. Let them do their job; we’ll do our job. I don’t want to interfere with their administration. We have to protect the sanctity of our state. They should do their job; we should do our job,” said Shivakumar.
#WATCH | Bengaluru: On statements by Tamil Nadu leaders regarding the Chamarajanagar shootout, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar says, "No state should interfere with another state's administration. States have their own problems. They should also know that we know how to… pic.twitter.com/QJsyNdtPwu
— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2026
CHAMARAJANAGAR SHOOTOUT: THE LATEST FLASHPOINT
Early in the morning on August 15, 2026, Karnataka Forest Department officials opened fire on four men in the Shagya range of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district. Three men were killed on the spot, while a fourth escaped with injuries and was later hospitalised.
Shivakumar and local forest officials stated that the men were suspected poachers caught with wild animal meat and country guns. They claimed the forest personnel only fired back in self-defence after being shot at first. A magisterial inquiry has since been ordered by the Karnataka government.
The victims’ families and political leaders in Tamil Nadu strongly dispute the poaching narrative. Activists and local political parties claim the men were simply local farmers who had entered the forest area to search for missing cattle.
The incident has triggered massive local protests and escalated into a major political flashpoint between the governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
கர்நாடகாவின் சாம்ராஜ் நகர் மாவட்டம், ஹனூர் தாலுக்காவில் உள்ள கிராமங்களில் வசித்து வந்த தமிழர்களான அந்தோணி சாமி, ஜான் ரோஸ் பீட்டர், குமார் ஆகியோர், 2026 ஆகஸ்ட் 15 அன்று அதிகாலையில், காவிரி வனவிலங்கு சரணாலயப் பகுதியில், கர்நாடக வனத் துறையினரால் சுட்டுக் கொல்லப்பட்டது வேதனை…
— TVK Vijay (@TVKVijayHQ) August 16, 2026
WHAT DID VIJAY SAY?
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C. Joseph Vijay strongly condemned the Chamarajanagar shootout, calling the incident a “brutal massacre”. He explicitly rejected the Karnataka Forest Department’s self-defence justification, labeling their explanation “unacceptable.”
Through an official statement shared on the TVK social media handles, Vijay raised multiple objections. He stated it was “heartbreaking” that three Tamil-origin men—Anthony Sami, John Rose Peter, and Kumar—were shot dead by Karnataka forest officials in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
He called for an immediate, honest, and high-level investigation by an independent committee to uncover the true circumstances of the firing. He insisted that the Karnataka government provide full financial assistance and compensation to the victims’ families and ensure those responsible face strict punishment.
