SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
Chamarajanagar: The controversy surrounding the killing of three suspected poachers in an alleged forest department encounter in Hanur has taken a fresh turn, with a purported audio clip circulating on social media triggering concerns over attempts to create tension along the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.
The audio clip, allegedly featuring a person identified as Divyananda, described as the president of an organisation called ‘Tiger of Justice’, contains provocative statements targeting the government and appealing to members of the Tamil-speaking community to unite.
In the purported recording, the speaker alleges that members of the Tamil community were killed and claims that people who migrated from Tamil Nadu were being denied social justice. The speaker also makes references to alleged discrimination and calls upon members of the community to oppose what he describes as domination by Kannadigas.
The authenticity of the audio and the identity of the person speaking in it have not been independently established. Police authorities are expected to examine the recording and establish its source, context and whether it was deliberately circulated to provoke tension.
The audio has emerged amid heightened tensions following the August 14 firing in the forest area of Hanur, in which three men were killed by forest personnel. The incident has triggered protests and competing claims over whether the deceased were involved in poaching or were victims of excessive force.
The state government has transferred the investigation into the shooting to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), with the move aimed at establishing the circumstances that led to the firing and the deaths.
The purported audio also contains a call to members of the Tamil-speaking community to distance themselves from mainstream political parties, including the Congress, BJP and JD(S). The speaker allegedly calls for the formation of a separate organisational platform and refers to the community’s electoral strength in the region.
The recording further contains references to churches and Christian groups and appeals for unity among sections of the Tamil-speaking population. Such statements have raised concerns among local residents and political leaders that the sensitive encounter case could be exploited to create divisions based on language, religion and caste.
Authorities are likely to examine whether the audio amounts to an attempt to incite violence or disturb public order. If its authenticity is established, investigators could also examine whether the organisation or individuals associated with it have any links with extremist or banned groups.
The development has added another dimension to the Hanur encounter controversy. The post-mortem findings of the three deceased men have already become a major point of contention, with reports indicating injuries consistent with firing from close range. The findings have strengthened demands from the families and local groups for an impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Meanwhile, the forest department has maintained its position regarding the operation, while questions continue to be raised over the conduct of the personnel involved.
With the CID now investigating the encounter and authorities examining the circulation of the purported provocative audio, officials face the twin challenge of determining the facts behind the shooting and preventing the issue from escalating into a wider law-and-order problem.
Police and district authorities are expected to monitor sensitive areas along the border and appeal to residents not to circulate unverified material or provocative messages.
The latest development underlines the need for the investigation into the encounter to remain focused on evidence and due process, while any attempt to exploit the deaths to provoke communal, linguistic or caste-based tension is dealt with in accordance with law.
SOURCE : SIASAT
