Second sloth bear attack in Valparai tea estate in a week

COIMBATORE A tea estate worker was injured in the attack of a sloth bear near Valparai on Wednesday.

COIMBATORE A tea estate worker was injured in the attack of a sloth bear near Valparai on Wednesday. The injured was identified as Budhwa Oraon, a native of Jharkhand who has been staying at Senkuthuparai.

Forest Department officials said that the incident happened in a tea estate of Woodbriar Group on Wednesday morning.

According to the department, Mr. Oraon had a close encounter with a bear while working in the estate around 8.50 a.m. He was mauled by the animal and suffered injuries on his left leg. Co-workers shifted him to the Government Hospital, Mettupalayam, where he was given treatment.

Valparai forest range officer Venkatesh and forest range officer A. Manikandan from Manambolly range visited Mr. Oraon at the hospital and handed over an initial solatium of ₹5,000 to him.

Mr. Manikandan said that the incident took place near one km away from another part of the same estate where a guest worker from Jharkhand was mauled by a sloth bear on June 2. The worker had suffered injuries below his right eye, back of the head and hands.

Mr. Manikandan said that a special team headed by a forester was tasked to monitor the situation at the estate. “We have requested the estate management not to send workers to the particular section for 15 days,” he said.