Bear kills youth in Katghora forest

Korba | Correspondent: A 26-year-old man identified as Santosh Kumar Gond, a resident of Salaigot village in the Korba of Chhattisgarh, was attacked by a bear in the Kenai Range of the Katghora Forest Division.

On Sunday, Santosh had gone to the nearby forest to graze his cattle. However, when only the cattle returned by evening and Santosh was missing, his family informed the forest department and villagers.

After an overnight search, Santosh's body was recovered from the forest around 1:30 a.m. on Monday. Bear footprints found at the scene confirmed that the attack was carried out by a bear.

Following the incident, Katghora Divisional Forest Officer Kumar Nishant provided an immediate relief amount of ₹25,000 to the victim's family, while the remaining ₹5.75 lakh compensation will be disbursed after formalities are completed. The forest department has advised local villagers not to venture into the forest alone and to exercise extreme caution. Symbolic Photo