MYSORE: In a significant twist to the controversial death of poacher Palani from neighbouring Tamil Nadu in an alleged shootout, the possibility of death by bullet injury has not been ruled out by medical experts.
Reliable sources at Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, where the autopsy was conducted on Saturday afternoon, told the Deccan Chronicle that doctors couldn’t come to a definite conclusion and may recommend further forensic tests. At the same time, death by bullet wound was also not ruled out.
Dr. Anand P Rayamane, Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Mysore Medical College, has conducted the autopsy and is likely to submit the report on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Before conducting the autopsy on the highly decomposed body of Palani, multiple X-Rays of all important body parts and a body scan was taken. The entire autopsy procedure was videographed to ensure transparency.
Mr. Mallesh, environmentalist and member of the State Wildlife Board who was present while the X-Rays and body scan were taken, said no bullet was found in Palani’s body.
But the doctor didn’t eliminate the possibility of damage to Palani’s skull by a bullet fired from a rifle. “It’s only a possibility, nothing conclusive subject to further tests. But the point is Karnataka forest staff have full authority to open fire at poachers and need no prior permission.
Palani and the two others had no business to enter Karnataka wildlife sanctuary. Moreover, the forest staff has recovered carcasses of two Sambar deer poached by them.”.
Meanwhile, traffic on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border near Palar checkpost, which was attacked and set ablaze on Friday, was paralysed for the second day. Both sides of the border were loaded with heavy police deployment.
Tight security has been arranged in three villages – Cauverypuram, Govindapaddi and Karekadu – to restrict villagers’ movement and mob build-up. IGP (Southern Range) B.K. Singh has visited Palar and held talks with DIG (Selam range) Vidya D. Kulkarni on security arrangements and exchanged intelligence. Chamarajanagar SP Rangaswamy Naik, CCF Dilip Kumar Das, Selam SP R. Sekthivel, and Dharmapuri SP J. Lokanathan have also camped on the borders.
IGP (Southern Range) B.K. Singh said three separate cases have been registered in MM Hills police station over the incident. A case has been registered against over 50 unknown persons for Friday’s violence and property theft.
Another case has been registered over Palani’s death and a separate case for the shootout on October 21. Sources say Palani’s wife Shantha has also filed a separate complaint in MM Hills police station accusing Karnataka forest staff of murdering her husband. A case has been filed under sections 143, 147, 149 and 302 of IPC.
Mr. Marisibba Shetty, CPI, MM Hills station, said Palani’s body was handed over to his wife Shantha at around 5 pm after conducting an autopsy and taking a written statement. The body was brought from Palar to Mysore Medical College at around 2 am on Saturday in a special ambulance.
Tamil Nadu DSP of Sankari sub-division V. Gopal along with two inspectors have brought Shantha, Palani’s sister Kaveri and 14 other relatives in a police van and took them back along with the body.
A cold-blooded murder: Family
Emotions ran high at Mysore Medical College, where the autopsy was conducted. Wife Shantha has accused Karnataka foresters of cold-blooded murder. “My husband was an ordinary fisherman.
He was the only bread winner in our family. I have three children including a daughter. It was hard for me to identify my husband. His skull was shattered from behind. Many times, fishermen from Tamil Nadu were targeted by Karnataka foresters, but my husband had to pay with his life”, she told this correspondent.
Mr. K. Thangavel, president, Cauverypuram gram panchayat, said the forehead had bullet penetration marks and the skull was opened up by a bullet. “We want the investigation to be conducted fairly”.
Mr. M. C. Marappan, Kolathur union secretary of Tamil Nadu regional party Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), said: “If the report is adverse, we will demand a parallel examination from Tamil Nadu experts”.
