Raipur: A Sloth Bear, also known as an Indian Bear, was brutally tortured to death by villagers in Chhattisgarh. The state forest department has announced a reward of Rs 10,000 for information about the two villagers spotted in a video that has now gone viral.
Netizens have demanded capital punishment for the accused. The forest department says that a person can even be sentenced to life for such an act. The Sloth Bear has been declared Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The video shows the forelimbs of the animal tied to a pole with a steel wire. A man is seen pulling its ears, even as the bear squirms in discomfort. Another man is spotted hitting the bear on the head with his bare hands. He then proceeds to pluck out the animal’s class, even as the bear howls in pain.
Men, women and children standing around seem to be enjoying the show. It is also clear that the mouth of the bear was smashed. It was bleeding profusely from the injuries.
The forest department woke up only after the video went viral and social media followers reacted strongly, calling for action against the perpetrators of the gruesome crime. The location has been identified as the Sukma district.
“We will find out who the people in the video are and where they live. After that action will be taken against them under the Wildlife Act 1972. This Act has provisions where such criminals can face sentences ranging from two years to life imprisonment. The accused will certainly be punished,” R C Dugga, Chief Conservator of Forests, Chhattisgarh, told the media.
The only problem is that the forests in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh are Maoist-infested. Even forest department staff are unable to operate there freely.
