Shocking footage released of man mauled and killed by sloth bear after trying to take selfie with it
According to reports, the bear was attempting to drink from a pond when the man approached it, despite warnings from those around him
Man killed by a sloth bear when he tried to take a selfie with it near Kosagumuda block in Nabarangpur district on Wednesday.
Prabhu Bhatara was driving home from a wedding when he saw a sloth bear in the forest on his way from Kotapad to Papadahandi with some passengers. He was determined to hop out of his SUV to take a selfie with the bear in Nabarangapura, Odisha's tribal district, according to Odisha Sun Times.
His fellow passengers tried to stop the man from getting a selfie but, Bhatara ended up getting too close to the bear and was attacked by it. A video captured by the villagers who were too scared to intervene hints that a dog tried to rescue the man but the bear outpowered it.
The wild animal repeatedly scratched and bit the man until dead. Eventually, the villagers had to tranquilize the bear to retrieve the body of the man.
The sloth bear was reportedly trying to drink water from the pond when Bhatara went to take a selfie.