Earlier this month, an injured sloth bear beat up a man near a forest in Nabaragpur, Odisha, India. According to media reports, the truck driver, Prabhu Bhatra, was attacked by the bear when he tried to take a selfie after getting out of the truck.
However, some other reports said Bhatra had gotten out of the car to answer the call of nature when he was attacked. Several bystanders tried to save the man, but the animal refused to let him go and eventually killed him. A video taken by locals captured the bloody attack. Forest officials rushed to the area and the bear had to be calmed down before they could retrieve the carcass.
The state government has announced compensation to Bhatra’s family. Locals are urging officials to take action to reduce bear-man clashes in the area.
In India, a taxi driver was beaten to death by a bear after he stopped to take a selfie with the bear. Prabhu Bhatara spotted the bear on the side of the road as he was driving guests home from a wedding in eastern Odisha state on Wednesday.
While his passenger waited in the back of the car, Bhatara tried to take a photo with the injured animal. Mr Bhatara took two wedding guests home when he stopped for a photo
But the bear managed to grab him and drag him to the ground, where he was beaten to death, Odisha Sun-Times reported. The paper said the bear was trying to drink from the pond when Mr Bhatara approached it despite warnings from those around him.
According to The Sun-Times, he slipped and fell while taking a photo before being caught. Video taken by shocked bystanders showed attempts to rescue Mr Bhatara from the animals, but to no avail. You could see them coming down the ramp where the animal was sitting and Mr Bhatara was sitting at his feet trying to hit it with a stick. Elsewhere, it appeared that someone was throwing objects at bears.
This only enraged the bear, and when Mr Bhatara tried to get up, the predator received several violent blows to the head and neck. Forest officials were called, but he was dead when they arrived. The bear had to be knocked unconscious to find Mr. Bhatara’s body. What happened to the animal afterward is unclear.
