Forest guard found dead, family alleges murder

Dhenkanal: Mystery shrouds the death of a forest guard, whose body was found hanging at a beat house in Gadasila under Dhenkanal Sadar range on Sunday. The deceased has been identified as forest guard Tapan Das.

Family members of Tapan alleged he was under severe mental duress following  torture and harassment by seniors.

"Tapan was mentally stressed due to the activities of higher-ups. He was also implicated in a false case. I suspect my brother's death is a pre-planned murder," said Rashmi Ranjan Das, elder brother of deceased.

However, senior forest officials refuted the charges and said that no ill-treatment was meted out towards Tapan Das.

"It is only one month that he had come here for duty and we shared a good relationship," said Hadibandhu Pirei, Gadasila forester.

Assistant conservator of forests (ACF), Jitendra Das said that police investigation has started and the reason behind the forest guard's death will be known soon.