Jeypore: Forest department Sunday began an investigation into the death of a wild bear near Nuaput village forest under Jeypore block in Koraput district Sunday.
Locals spotted the bear lying dead in the village forest and alerted forest officials. On being alerted, officials reached the village and recovered the carcass. It was later sent for post-mortem, sources said. ‘The bear was around 15-year-old,’ officials said.
According to sources, an elderly woman was killed while two others were seriously injured after they were mauled by the wild bear Saturday. The deceased was identified as Damei Nayak (60), wife of Daitari Naik of Nuaput village. The incident occurred while Damei had been to collect mushroom from the forest.
The bear along with two cubs attacked Damei leading to her death on the spot. On learning the incident, more than 50 locals rushed to the spot. Lokanath Bisoyi and another youth of the same village in a bid to rescue Damei sustained critical injuries after the bears attacked the duo, sources said. Locals admitted the injured to the hospital.
Meanwhile, forest officials suspected the villagers of beating the animal to death and began an investigation. Alerted, ranger K V Bhaskar Rao, forester Duryadhona Ganda, B K Panda Bikash Patra and forest department ACF Motilal reached the village.
However, locals refuted the allegations of killing the bear. It had strayed into the village in an injured condition,’ they said. It must have died due to its injury,’ they added. Officials launched an operation to spot the cubs. PNN
