Jammu, Nov 28: Wildlife authorities in Rajouri have determined that the widely circulated claim of a man being dragged away by a wild animal was entirely fabricated, calling it a deliberate attempt to mislead the administration.
Wildlife Range Officer Rajouri, Iftikhar Khan, said the man reported missing in an alleged wild animal attack was later found alive and safe in the morning. He said the false report triggered unwarranted panic and kept the administration on high alert through the night.
Khan noted that multiple teams from different departments remained deployed and continued searching for the man throughout the night due to the fabricated narrative. He said some individuals spread such false stories for monetary motives, hoping to claim compensation.
He clarified that compensation in wildlife-related cases requires a lengthy and strict verification process, and is granted only after fulfilling all formal procedures.
The Wildlife Department has decided to recommend strict action against those responsible for spreading the false alarm. (KNC)
