---
title: "3,289 forest offence cases registered in Chamarajanagar forest circle since 2010-11"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/forest-offence-cases-chamarajanagar-2010-11-5sy96
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: Society
published: 2026-08-22T16:30:35.661Z
modified: 2026-08-23T05:00:06.871Z
language: en-IN
---

# 3,289 forest offence cases registered in Chamarajanagar forest circle since 2010-11

The Chamarajanagar forest circle has logged 3,289 forest offence cases since 2010-11, with a spike in MM Hills and a pair of insurrections. Three suspected poachers were killed in an August 15 exchange with forest personnel, while another escaped and sought treatment at a private Mysuru hospital.

## Key takeaways

- MM Hills Wildlife Division accounts for the bulk of forest offence cases in the Chamarajanagar circle.
- Three suspected poachers were killed in an August 15 encounter in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary; another escaped and was hospitalized later in Mysuru.
- Case types include WLOR, poaching, and gun-related offences, indicating a mix of wildlife crime and enforcement challenges across the circle.

## What Happened

The Chamarajanagar forest circle, which includes the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve (BRT) and two wildlife divisions—Cauvery and Male Mahadeshwara Hills (M.M. Hills)—has recorded 3,289 forest offence cases from 2010-11 through August 19, 2026.

In the early hours of August 15, three suspected poachers—Antony Swamy, John Rose Peter, and Kumar—were killed during an exchange of fire with Forest Department personnel in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary within Hanur taluk, Chamarajanagar district. A fourth suspected poacher, Mahimadan, escaped the confrontation and was later admitted to a private hospital in Mysuru.

## Why It Matters

The data indicate a high concentration of cases in the Chamarajanagar circle, with the MM Hills Wildlife Division registering the largest share (2,256 cases) over the period, followed by the BRT Tiger Reserve (793 cases) and the Cauvery Wildlife Division (240 cases). The mix of cases includes Wildlife Offence Reports (WLOR), poaching, and gun-related offences, highlighting ongoing pressures on wildlife habitats in this region and the enforcement challenges faced by authorities.

## Background

The district’s forest areas encompass dry deciduous habitats with scrub forests, and pockets of moist deciduous, semi-evergreen, evergreen, and shola forests near higher elevations of the BRT Tiger Reserve and M.M. Hills. The reporting period spans more than a decade, from 2010-11 to August 2026, reflecting long-running enforcement activity and incidents in the circle.

## Key Facts

 
- Total forest offence cases registered in Chamarajanagar forest circle from 2010-11 to August 19, 2026: 3,289
 
- Breakdown by case type: WLOR 777, poaching 370, gun-related 66
 
- Highest number of cases by wildlife division: M.M. Hills Wildlife Division with 2,256 cases
 
- Second: BRT Tiger Reserve with 793 cases
 
- Third: Cauvery Wildlife Division with 240 cases
 
- Range-level distribution: Kollegal Buffer Zone 979, Hanur Buffer Zone 657, Chamaraja Territorial Range 352
 
- Poaching-specific distribution: Cowdahalli Wildlife Range 47, Hanur Buffer Range 45, Chamaraja Territorial Range 39
 
- August 15 incident: three suspected poachers killed in Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, Hanur taluk; one suspected poacher Mahimadan escaped and was hospitalized in Mysuru

## What Happens Next

The available data provide a snapshot up to August 19, 2026. Details on ongoing investigations, further arrests, or policy responses were not specified in the material provided. Enforcers may continue monitoring high-incidence zones within MM Hills and other divisions, while case processing and potential prosecutions proceed under relevant forest and wildlife law frameworks.

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Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/forest-offence-cases-chamarajanagar-2010-11-5sy96
Reported from: Multiple Sources