In a shocking incident, a 45-year-old man was killed after a wild bear attacked him at Saharbera jungle under Chandil police station in the foothills of Dalma Hills on late Tuesday evening.
Though the victim, identified as Nimai Soren, was rushed to the MGM Medical College and Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday morning. Sources informed that the wild bear attacked the victim’s abdomen causing him to sustain serious injuries. The doctors attending him had expressed doubt over his survival.
Meanwhile, a police official from the Chandil police station seized the body and sent it to the MGM Medical College mortuary for post-mortem. A team of forest officials from Dalma Wildwife Division also visited the medical college and hospital to gather information over the incident.
Sources informed that Soren, a resident of adjoining Kanderbera village, had gone to the Saherbera jungle for collecting fire woods and was attacked by the bear.
“We all are in state of shock after the incident. We used to go to the jungle for collecting fire-wood regularly and used to counter wild elephants and other animals, but had never imagined that the wild animals will ever attacked so intensely,” said Soren’s relative.
The relative said that when Soren was attacked there were other villagers too. He screamed, attracting the attention of the villagers who were picking the woods run to save the life of Soren, and made collective efforts for it but in vain. But by that time the bear had already tore apart his abdomen and wounded other body parts. Forest range officer, Dalma, Mangal Kachhap confirmed that a 45-year-old man was killed by a wild bear in the foothills of Dalma. He said that this was the first case in which any villager was killed on being attacked by a wild bear.
“ As per our data there are about 28 wild bears at the Dalma wildlife sanctuary in accordance a census of wild animals carried out at Dalma hills last year. We will investigate the incident and try and ensure security in the area,” said Kachhap.