A Himalayan black bear was rescued from the Sikkim Raj Bhavan premises in Gangtok on October 21 after several hours of its sighting.
Officials said that the bear was first seen around 10 pm on October 20 following which the forest department officials tried to rescue the same for several hours.
The lush green forest, adjacent to the Raj Bhavan was frequented by the bear, who scared away some of the residents. The forest workers and police trapped the bear after tranquilizing it at around noon on October 21.
Reports said that the bear ate some chickens at the staff quarters of the complex, leading to more panic among the people.
Forest officials patrolled the complex the entire night to keep the bear at bay and as soon as the day broke, an operation was started to capture it, officials said.
The animal was captured around 12 pm after being tranquilised, officials said.
“The bear was hiding under a culvert. We had to shoot it twice as we missed the first shot,” said divisional forest officer (DFO) Dechen Lachungpa.
The animal will be released in Pangolakha wildlife sanctuary, officials said.
