Two siblings died and a third sister suffered severe injuries after a female sloth bear attacked them in an agricultural field in the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh, India. The mauling occurred in the village of Largaon Markatola, located within the Narharpur forest range, and was recorded on video by residents from a distance before the Mix Vale newsroom initially reported the case on August 6, 2026.
Local authorities identified the deceased victims as farmer Halalkhor Jurri and his 40-year-old sister, Chamrin Jurri. Their 30-year-old sister, Khorin Bai, survived the encounter with serious wounds and was taken to Komaldev Hospital in Kanker before doctors transferred her to Raipur for specialized medical care.
The attack began around 11 a.m. on August 5, 2026, when Halalkhor Jurri went to the fields to graze his oxen. When his sisters rushed to help him during the struggle, the animal turned on them as well, killing both Halalkhor and Chamrin on the spot.
Standoff over the bodies and the loss of a cub
Emergency crews and police officers could not immediately reach the victims because the bear refused to leave the site. Footage shared across video platforms showed the animal remaining directly beside the bodies and continuing to claw at them, keeping villagers and first responders at bay for hours.
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Asharam Netam, Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA, a state-level legislator in India) for Kanker, went to the village after receiving phone calls from residents. Netam stated that the animal was still standing its ground near the victims when forest personnel arrived, prompting officials to instruct locals to stay indoors.
According to village residents and former local council head Annapurna Thakur, the female bear had been in the area near a local school since the previous day, when one of her cubs died. Forest Department staff had removed the cub’s carcass a day before the siblings were attacked, and authorities opened an inquiry to verify whether the loss of the offspring triggered the violent behavior.
Tranquilization operation and death of the animal
During the containment effort, the bear roamed through the surrounding hamlet and charged at a Forest Department vehicle. A specialized wildlife team dispatched from Raipur eventually shot the animal with tranquilizer darts to recover the bodies and secure the perimeter.
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Once the sedative took effect, an angry crowd of villagers demanded that the animal be put down and began beating the unconscious bear with wooden sticks and clubs. Police and forest guards intervened to pull the crowd back and remove the animal, which later died from the injuries sustained during the beating.
Following a series of fatal encounters with sloth bears across forest-fringe villages in Chhattisgarh, state forestry officials expanded patrols and safety advisories in the region. Authorities instructed residents in Kanker and neighboring districts not to enter forested areas alone during early morning or evening hours and to report any wildlife movement immediately.
