Man Held For Allegedly Faking Elephant Attack To Claim Compensation in Odisha

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.