UTTARA KANNADA: A 65-year-old man sustained serious injuries when a sloth bear attacked him. The incident happened when Vittu Tanaji, a native of Khanapur taluk was on his way to Thimboli village near Ramanagara in Joida taluk, to meet his brother. However, despite the injuries, Tanaji managed to reach his brother’s village.
Tanaji had embarked on a dangerous journey when he decided to take a shortcut which passes through the forests and continued to walk alone. Confident that there was no threat to him as it was day, he quietly walked his way, when the bear appeared from the woods right in front of him.
According to residents, Tanaji came to the village with a bleeding head and cheek, holding his eyeball in his hand. He reached the village walking all the way with blood dripping and said that a bear had
attacked him. He also sustained injuries to his cheeks and scalp.“It was a shocking scene. We were wondering how he managed to come all the way walking even after the gruesome attack,” said a forest department staffer. Tanaji was rushed to Ramanagara Government Hospital, where he was treated immediately and sent to Belagavi for further treatment. According to the residents, Joida taluk has been witnessing frequent attacks on humans by sloth bears.