Rajouri "leopard attack" story found fabricated; Wildlife Department seeks action

Rajouri, Nov 28: Wildlife authorities in Rajouri have declared that the reported incident of a man being taken away by a wild animal was completely fabricated, calling it a deliberate attempt to mislead the administration.

Wildlife Range Officer Rajouri, Iftikhar Khan said that the man who was claimed to have been dragged away by a wild animal was later found alive and safe in the morning.

He said the false alarm triggered unnecessary panic and put the entire administration on high alert through the night. “Teams from various departments remained deployed throughout the night, continuously searching for the individual because of this fabricated story,” Khan said.

He added that some people create such false narratives solely for monetary gain, hoping to claim compensation. However, Khan clarified that compensation in wildlife-related cases is not easy to obtain, as it involves a lengthy process and strict verification. “Only after completing all formal procedures can compensation be granted,” he noted.

The Wildlife Department has decided to recommend strict action against those involved in spreading the fabricated story. (KNC)