Police arrest three suspects after armed men breached a coffee estate owned by Karnataka Minister K.J. George.
CHIKKAMAGALURU
Local police have taken three suspects into custody following a chilling security breach at the private Elunuru Khan coffee plantation near Mallandur. The heavy investigation took a serious turn after clear closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage caught unidentified, heavily armed men suspiciously roaming inside the estate, which is owned by Karnataka State Minister K.J. George.
According to the official police complaint, the armed trespassers sneaked into the sprawling property on the intervening nights of June 17, 21, and 22. Because the estate directly shares a boundary with the protected Muthodi Wildlife Sanctuary, the sight of men carrying rifles and lethal weapons sparked immediate panic among the estate management.
Fearing a major threat, senior estate manager Divya promptly lodged a criminal complaint with the Mallandur police. Using the captured surveillance footage, tracking teams quickly arrested three local residents from Thotadamakki village, identified as Puttaswamy, Girish, and Ramesh. Preliminary questioning strongly indicates that the suspects entered the dense property with the clear intention of illegally poaching protected wild animals wandering out from the neighboring sanctuary.
However, the security operation is far from over. At least two more suspects involved in the nocturnal infiltration, including a local man named Ravi, have managed to flee and are currently on the run. The Mallandur station house officer stated that special police teams have been formed to track down the fugitives. Investigators are working hard to trace the illegal source of the seized firearms, and a full picture will emerge soon.
