Bear and cub killed in road accident in Odisha’s Sambalpur district

A 20-year-old female bear and her 5-year-old cub were killed after a vehicle hit them early this morning in Sambalpur district.

Wildlife officials said the mother bear and its cub were crossing the Podabalanda-Badmal road under Rairakhol forest division early on Saturday when an unknown vehicle hit them killing both the animals.

The wildlife officials reached the spot on receiving information and sent the bodies for post-mortem. They have also initiated a probe.

The accidental death of the bears came five days after an elephant was run over by the Puri-Surat Express train near Bhabanipali between Hatibari and Maneswar Railway stations under Sambalpur division.

In another incident, a 13-year-old boy was trampled to death by an elephant while another teenager sustained injuries in the attack.