Odisha Man Arrested For Allegedly Faking Elephant Attack To Claim Compensation

Bhubaneswar: A man has been arrested in Odisha for allegedly trying to pass off a tree-fall death as an elephant attack to claim Rs 10 lakh compensation from the government, officials said.

The incident was reported from Tulasipashi village under Parjang police station in Kamakhyanagar area of Dhenkanal district.

According to officials, Bulu Maharana and Rajkishore Sahu, both residents of the village, had gone into a nearby forest to cut a tree.

While they were felling the tree, it reportedly fell on Maharana, leaving him critically injured. He was rushed to a hospital for treatment but succumbed to his injuries, they said.

Following his death, Maharana's family members and Sahu allegedly claimed that he had died in an elephant attack, prompting the forest department to initiate an inquiry.

A special team visited the spot and examined the circumstances surrounding the death. During the investigation, officials found no evidence of an elephant attack and concluded that Maharana had sustained fatal injuries after being struck by the falling tree.

The forest department subsequently alleged that the elephant attack story was fabricated with the intention of claiming the Rs 10 lakh compensation provided by the government in cases of human deaths caused by elephant attacks.

The accused Rajkishore Sahu was arrested and produced before a court, officials said.

Further investigation into the case is underway.