Titlagarh: A wild bear that had strayed into a village in Titlagarh was allegedly beaten to death by locals who mutilated its body parts and disposed the remains kilometres apart in order to cover up the incident.
The body was found from a forest near Bagdor village with its skin peeled off and other body parts removed. Forest officials who recovered the carcasses of the animal said that they were yet to identify if the body was of a bear.
Earlier on Tuesday a bear had entered the premises of the DAV College triggering panic among the locals. On getting the information, forest officials along with police personnel and a fire tender unit rushed the spot and drove away the animal into the forest.
However, the bear once again returned to the village yesterday and attacked three persons leaving them critically injured.
Infuriated over the incident, residents of Pendrapadar, Bagdor and Pitapara villages allegedly thrashed the animal to death.
“The locals of three villages, Pendrapadar, Bagdor and Pitapara villages killed the bear,” said Jayram Chandan, a local.
“The animal is being suspected the same bear that had earlier strayed here. We have come to know that the incident has been recorded on mobile phones. Based on the video footage, we will be initiating an investigation,” informed Forest Ranger of Titlagarh division Jitendriya Nanda adding that stringent action will be taken against those behind brutal killing of the wild animal.