Sajanagad: A bear was found dead at Chalanapal under Nilagiri block in Balasore district Sunday. The animal was suspected to have been beaten to death by villagers as its snout was replete with blood.
Some locals claimed that the bear came down from Swarnachuda hill in search of food, but accidentally fell into a ditch Saturday. As the animal kept on growling, some people rushed to the spot and beat it to death.
Nilagiri ranger Sukumar Das along with other forest officials recovered the carcass and brought it to the office for post-mortem. However, the ranger denied the report of the animal being beaten to death.