One person was killed and another sustained serious injuries in a bear attack at Chilanahalli in Madhugiri taluk in the district on Monday afternoon. The bear was later shot dead by the police.
The deceased has been identified as Somanna (40) and the injured, Sanna Thimmanna (55), of Chilanahalli.
Somanna was on his way to his field when the bear attacked him around 2.30 p.m. When he shouted for help, another villager, Sanna Thimmanna, tried to rescue him. But the bear attacked him as well and Thimmanna sustained serious injuries.
People gatherThat was when hundreds of people gathered around the bear and hurled stones at it. The frightened animal tried to attack them as well. Deputy Conservator of Forests N.V. Amaranath told The Hindu : “The police, in self-defence and to save the people from being attacked by the bear, fired at it and killed it.”
Opposition to killingHowever, environmentalists have opposed the killing of the bear. C. Yathiraju, environmentalist, said the animal should have been tranquilised as killing it with a gun or rifle is illegal.
D.V. Gundappa, another expert, said the procedure is to take permission from the Forest Department, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, government, Director-General of Police and Superintendent of Police to kill an animal. According to the Wildlife Protection Act, it is illegal to shoot wild animals without following proper procedure.
Mr. Amaranath gave a cheque of Rs. 2 lakh to the family of the deceased. Thimmanna is being treated at the Tumakuru district government hospital.
