Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has hit back at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C. Joseph Vijay for his strong criticism of the Chamarajanagar forest firing, saying that one state should not interfere in the administration of another.
Shivakumar’s remarks came at a time of increasing tension between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu after the shooting on August 15 in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar district. Three men were killed in the attack and another man escaped after suffering injuries and was hospitalised.
Responding to criticism from Tamil Nadu leaders, Shivakumar said Karnataka will handle matters in its own area. “No state should interfere with another state’s administration,” he said, saying that each state has its own issues and responsibilities.
“We have to protect the sanctity of our state. They should do their job; we will do our job. I don’t want to interfere with their administration,” Shivakumar said. His words have brought another political dimension to an incident that has already triggered protests, competing claims and demands for an independent investigation.
The Chamarajanagar incident took place early on August 15 in the Shagya range of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Hanur Taluk. Four men were involved in poaching, Karnataka Forest Department officials said. Wild animal meat and country-made firearms were among them, they said.
The Karnataka side has maintained that the forest personnel opened fire in self-defence after allegedly being attacked. Three men were killed at the scene. There was a fourth person that survived and was taken to a hospital for treatment, the local media reported.
The Karnataka government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident with the investigation likely to look into what happened in the situation of firing and what happened during the fight.
Thus, the Karnataka authorities’ account has been challenged by the families of the victims and Tamil Nadu political leaders. The people who believe the men are not poachers but local farmers who entered the forest area and sought cattle.
The differing versions of events have made the incident a sensitive issue along the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border. Questions have also been asked about what the forest officials did when they came across the men, whether firearms were used by the victims and whether the officials used the force justified.
Vijay has been particularly vocal in condemning the incident. In a statement on TVK's official social media channels, he described the shooting as a “brutal massacre” and rejected the Karnataka Forest Department’s explanation that the firing was carried out in self-defence.
Vijay said it was “heartbreaking” that three Tamil-origin men — Anthony Sami, John Rose Peter and Kumar — were killed by Karnataka forest officials in the wildlife sanctuary. He called for a fast and transparent investigation of the deaths by an independent and high-level committee.
The Tamil Nadu leader also called for financial help and compensation for the families of those who were killed and said his government should take strict action against anyone who is found responsible for the incident.
#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
The comments have led to a political clash between the two states, with Shivakumar going out on record that Karnataka does not want Tamil Nadu leaders to interfere in the administrative affairs of the state and it is not interested in any political manipulation of the state. And the criticism from Tamil Nadu is indicative of Karnataka authorities' increasing pressure on the state to find out why the deaths in the region.
Hence the magisterial inquiry is likely to be closely watched on both sides of the state border. The results will be useful in deciding whether the forest personnel acted within the law and if the poaching and self-defence claims are supported by evidence.
But the Chamarajanagar shootout is a major flashpoint between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and political leaders are demanding accountability while the authorities are investigating what exactly happened.
