 |
Prabhu BhataraIndian taxi driver mauled by sloth bear
Country:
 India |
Content:
- Tragic Selfie Attempt Leads to Fatal Bear Attack
- Unheeded Warnings
- Witness Accounts
- Mourning and Aftermath
- Previous Bear Attack in Bhopal
Tragic Selfie Attempt Leads to Fatal Bear Attack
A taxi driver in India, Prabhu Bhatara, lost his life after being mauled by a sloth bear while attempting to take a selfie with the injured animal. The incident occurred near a forest in Kosagumuda, Nabarangpur district, Odisha.
Unheeded Warnings
Despite warnings from onlookers, Bhatara exited his vehicle and approached the wounded bear near a pond. The animal suddenly attacked him, knocking him to the ground and inflicting fatal injuries.
Witness Accounts
Witnesses described how Bhatara slipped and fell, allowing the bear to seize him. Local residents captured the gruesome attack on their mobile phones but failed to intervene. Only one witness attempted to fend off the animal by throwing an object, but this had no effect.
Mourning and Aftermath
Bhatara had been transporting wedding guests when he spotted the bear on the side of the road. He left his vehicle to take a photo with the animal, against the protests of his passengers.
Wildlife authorities used tranquilizers to subdue the bear and retrieve Bhatara's body. The fate of the bear remains unknown, but the incident highlights the dangers of interacting with wild animals, even when they appear injured.
Previous Bear Attack in Bhopal
This incident serves as a reminder of another recent bear attack in India. On February 25, 2018, a sloth bear attacked the city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The bear injured several individuals and managed to evade capture despite a pursuit by 40 people and six vehicles equipped with animal capture equipment.
