A forest official in Karnataka is facing scrutiny after allegedly demanding a bribe from a farmer whose crops were destroyed by a wild elephant, sparking outrage and an official investigation.
An official in the Forest Department has come under scrutiny after a video surfaced allegedly showing him demanding a bribe from a farmer who lost areca nut and banana crops in a wild elephant attack.
The video, now circulating widely on social media, purportedly shows the official asking the farmer to pay "money for expenses" while assessing crop damage, drawing public criticism.
As per Forest Department procedure, officials are required to visit sites where crops are damaged by wild animals and prepare an assessment report, based on which government compensation is released.
The incident is reported to have occurred in Kanathi village in Chikkamagaluru taluk, where the farmer allegedly lost 65 areca nut trees in an elephant attack.
Sources said the official told the farmer that the number of damaged trees could be inflated in the report in exchange for money.
"If you give money for expenses, I will increase the number, and you will get more compensation from the government. If you don't pay, I will record only 65," he is heard saying.
The officer has been identified as Veerabhadra Nayak, a Deputy Range Forest Officer (DRFO) posted at Kanathi Beat under the Chikkamagaluru Forest Division, sources close to Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said.
When the farmer refused to pay, the officer reportedly waited briefly before recording the damage as 65 trees in the report, according to the video.
The video was shared on 'X' by a user and tagged to Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre and official department handles, seeking action.
Netizens have demanded strict action against the officer for allegedly seeking a bribe from a farmer already facing financial distress due to crop loss, sources added.