CHENNAI: The sight of bears roaming around Manjoor Bazaar in the Nilgiris district at night, scavenging food from garbage bins like stray dogs, has shocked residents and sparked demands for urgent forest department intervention.

Wild animals, including bears, bison and leopards, frequently stray from the forests of Manjoor into tea plantations and residential areas. Last week, a bear attacked a local man, who remains under treatment in hospital, according to a Daily Thanthi report.

A few days later, a motorist recorded a video of a bear with its cub feeding on waste in the bazaar. The animal aggressively charged at the vehicle to protect its cub, forcing the motorist to flee. The video has since gone viral on social media.

On Sunday night (September 21), three bears, including a cub, were again seen roaming the bazaar area before returning to the forest.

Residents have warned that they will stage a protest if the forest department fails to curb bear movement and ensure public safety.

Bear damages property in Coonoor

In a separate incident, residents of Shakti Nagar in Kakuchi panchayat, under the Kattpettu forest range in Coonoor, reported that a bear broke doors and damaged food supplies in three houses on Saturday night.

Despite earlier complaints, no action was taken, locals alleged.

Startled residents managed to chase the animal away using torches. They have urged the forest department to capture the bear using a cage, the report added.