Sambalpur: A mother bear and its cub died in the wee hours of Saturday after an unknown vehicle hit the animals on Podabalanda-Badamal road under Rairakhol forest division in Sambalpur district.
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According to a forest official, the mother bear and its cub were crossing the road early in the morning when the vehicle hit them. The mother and cub duo was severely injured and died on the spot.
Age of the mother bear is believed to be around 20 years and that of the cub around 2 years, the forest official said.
On being informed, Rairakhol forest division officials reached the spot. Carcasses of the animals were recovered and sent to a nearby veterinary hospital for post-mortem to ascertain the actual cause of death. The officials have launched a probe in this connection.
Notably, a tusker was killed after the pachyderm was run over by Puri-Surat Express near Bhabanipali between Hatibari and Maneswar railway stations under Sambalpur division December 20 night.
PNN