BENGALURU: A suspected poacher was shot dead by forest rangers in Karnataka's Bandipur Tiger Sanctuary. The person who was killed was identified as Manu (27), a resident of Bheemanabeedu, Gundlupet taluk, Chamarajanagar district. Forest department officials fired at a group of suspected poachers in Chamarajanagar district at 2 am today.

Villagers informed the forest officer that they heard gunshots in the forest in the middle of the night. It is indicated that the group of poachers came here to hunt deer. Officials said that the group saw the forest officials and opened fire at them using country-made guns. Manu was killed on the return fire by the forest rangers. The dead body of a Sambar deer was found at the scene of the incident. A search has been launched for the rest of the accused.

Superintendent of Police Padmini Sahu, Additional SP Udesh, Additional Conservator of forest Ravindra and Tahasildar T Ramesh Babu visited the spot. Manu's relatives had reached the spot after his death and raised slogans against the forest department.