JABALPUR: A sloth bear died in Balaghat district after consuming a crude bomb coated with corn flour that was allegedly placed to lure and kill wild boars.
The incident occurred in Bijora village, located on the edge of the Laugur forest range, around 2pm. A patrol team found the carcass of the bear, with its mouth severely injured from the explosion of the bomb.
Officials informed that villagers often use these bombs to hunt wild boars, setting them in fields near the forest. When consumed, the bombs can cause fatal injuries to the animals, making them easier targets for hunters. It appears that this bear, wandering in a revenue area near Bijora, accidentally ingested one of these bombs.
Forest range officer Kshatrapal Singh Jadoun reported that upon learning of the bear's death, DFO Adhar Gupta, SDO Vinita Fulbele, and forest workers arrived at the scene. They arranged for a team of three veterinary doctors from Baihar and Paraswada to conduct a postmortem and perform last rites for the bear. The viscera were sent to labs in Jabalpur and Sagar for examination. In response to the incident, Jadoun stated that patrol efforts have been intensified, and searches are underway to identify those responsible for placing the bomb.
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