The forest department has arrested a 24-year-old man for instigating a wild elephant to attack people by pulling its tail while chasing it in Odisha's Angul district, an official said.
The man, identified as Dinesh Sahoo, a resident of Kulad village in Talcher Forest Range, was arrested on Wednesday and booked under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The tusker was moving around near Kulad when it was chased by locals, including Sahoo, on Sunday. While chasing the pachyderm, the accused had pulled its tail, instigating it to charge towards the humans, he said.
"We have zero tolerance... either elephant will trample you or our laws (will)," Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (wildlife) Susant Nanda posted on X.
Mr Nanda said anyone providing information on such incidents will be suitably rewarded.
According to the law, anyone found guilty of teasing wild animals are liable to punishment of three to seven years of imprisonment.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
US Man Arrested After He Allegedly Tried To Withdraw 1 Cent From Bank "Could Have Led To Big Incident": Rajasthan Man Arrested For Overfilling Car At Fuel Station Man From Chennai Arrested Over Links To Banned Bangladesh-Based Terror Outfit Why BJP Lost Lok Sabha Polls In Uttar Pradesh - 6 Reasons In Party Report World's Largest Isolated Tribe Makes Rare Appearance In New Footage Puja Khedkar's Father Was Suspended Twice On Extortion Complaints Supreme Court Hears NEET Case, Says It Has "Social Ramifications" Watch: Ashneer Grover's Reaction To 22-Year-Old's Monthly Earning Viral IIT Kanpur Introduces 'SATHEE SSC' Platform For Exam Preparation Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.