Himalayan Black Bear Injures 1 in Sikkim Capital Gangtok

Gangtok, April 1, 2020:

With the entire country staying indoors in the midst of the largest lockdown in the nation's history, the citizens of Sikkim were earlier today treated to the unusual sight of a wild Himalayan black bear strolling through the streets of the hilly town. However, the situation soon turned grim when the bear turned violent after officials reached the spot to tranquilize the bear and shift it to a safe sanctuary. One BSNL Employee, who happened to be in the area, was brutally assaulted by the animal, and has sustained severe injuries, prominently to his skull.

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A local, talking to Inside Northeast, informed that the bear is currently roaming inside the BSNL Office in Gangtok, and efforts are on to tranquilize the beast. "The bear has now entered the BSNL office, and the concerned authorities have been summoned. We expect that the bear will be tranquilized shortly."

A forest official told us that the bear is a Himalayan Black bear and after the personnel combed the area, they found the bear prowling near the BSNL telephone exchange. The official also informed that the man who was injured is "out of danger. She further informed that the man sustained injuries to his head, but is now being treated.

"We were trying to rescue the bear, but the man came in between", the official said, and added that the team is waiting with tranquilizer guns at two locations to get a clear sight of the animal so that they can shoot at it.

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The official further informed that the process of attempting to tranquilize the bear is a risky proposition as it is afraid and said that the bear will not fall unconscious immediately and of its body mass index. In fact, the official said, the bear might charge anyone who shoots at it as it is unlikely it will fall unconscious immediately after being shot. "It is going to take a long time to tranquilize the bear; in fact, it might take a whole day because we need safety for my team as well", she said.