Chandrapur: A five-year-old female sloth bear that had been roaming Nagbhid town for nearly six months, triggering repeated alarm among residents, was safely rescued from the railway colony area on Friday.The bear had been sighted at several locations, including Shevatewadi, the tehsil office, panchayat samiti and railway station, bringing it repeatedly into close proximity with populated areas.After receiving information about its presence in the railway colony, the forest department launched a rescue operation. The rescue team, led by Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve veterinary officer Dr Ravikant Khobragade, pursued the bear on foot and carefully tracked it through a muddy patch in the colony.The team then maintained a safe distance and triangulated its position before immobilising it with the help of a veterinary team. Shooter Ajay Marathe played a key role in the operation, assisting in safely immobilising the animal. The bear was subsequently secured in a cage at around 4pm and transported to the Transit Treatment Centre (TTC), Chandrapur, for medical examination and observation.The operation was conducted under the guidance of Kumaraswamy, deputy conservator of forests, Brahmapuri division under supervision of Nagbhid range forest officer Bharati Bagmare.Forest personnel from Nagbhid range and other members of the rescue team assisted in the operation.
