Chg govt orders probe into killing of bear by cops, foresters

Chhattisgarh government has ordered an enquiry into the killing of a female sloth bear after it allegedly turned man-eater and mauled three persons, including a deputy ranger of forests, to deathin Mahasamund district.
The probe will be largely based on what prompted the local police and forest officials to kill the wild animal without taking requisite permission in this direction.
"A committee, headed by chief conservator of Forest (Wildlife) K Murugan, has been constituted toinvestigate the matter," Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) K C Bebarta told PTI tonight.
On March 12, Shatrughan Kanwar and Dhansingh Kanwar, both residents of Navagaon village, had gone to forest during the wee hours when they were attacked and eventually killed by the female wild bear in the forests of Patewa police station limits.

Later, when the deputy ranger of forests Sahil Khan reached the spot looking for the bear, it attacked him as well following which the official died.
Later, a joint team of police and forest officials shot the animal dead.

"As per the Wildlife Conservation Act 1972, a wild animal can't be tranquilised or killed without permission. Neither verbal nor written permission was sought in this case by the local authorities," Bebarta said.
The probe panel has been asked to submit the detailed report in this connection within 10 days, he added.
A wildlife activist has condemned the killing and raised questions over how without taking permission from the forest authority police officials opened fire at the bear.

"If the bear was being witnessed in the region, forest department should have made necessary arrangements on time to avoid the wild animal and human conflict," said wildlife activist Mansoor Khan based in Bilaspur.
"In the past two years, it is for the third time when a
sloth bear was killed by forest and police inside the forests in the state. Earlier, sloth bear was killed in Pendra (Bilaspur) and Kanker districts. That time also no permission was sought from forest authority," Khan claimed.
Besides probing what prompted the police to kill the bear, the government should also investigate why the bear came out of forests and reached near the human habitat, he added.

Meanwhile, police have justified their act saying the wild animal had turned into man-eater and violent.
"The wild bear had killed three persons. When forest and police officials tried to push her inside the jungle, she launched an attack on them. They were having no option other than to shoot the wild animal," said Mahasamund Additional Superintendent of Police, Rajesh Kukreja.
After having discussions with the forest officials, police personnel had launched firing on the wild animal leaving her dead on the spot, he said.
At least 40 rounds of bullets were fired on the animal of which 16 pierced her body, he said.