Coimbatore: A coffee estate supervisor suffered serious injuries after a sloth bear attacked him near Valparai in Tamil Nadu’s Anamalai Tiger Reserve landscape on Tuesday evening, October 6.
The injured man, identified as R Moses, works at Pachamalai estate. According to The New Indian Express, the attack occurred around 7.45 pm near a stream inside a tea plantation at Upper Paralai.
Residents Help Rescue Injured Supervisor
Moses sustained injuries to his left eye and head. Residents who heard his cries helped rescue him, and members of the Human-Wildlife Conflict Prevention Committee took him to Valparai Government Hospital. Following first aid, he was referred to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for further treatment.
Forest Department Monitors Bear Movement
Valparai Forest Range Officer Suresh Krishna said conflict prevention committee members had been deployed at Upper Paralai to monitor the bear’s movement. Residents were asked to report wildlife sightings to forest staff and share information through the “Thadam” WhatsApp group.
Immediate Assistance Reported
Tamil newspaper Dinamalar separately reported that the Forest Department provided ₹5,000 to Moses’s family as immediate relief. Its account also confirmed the injuries to his eye and head and his transfer from Valparai to Coimbatore for treatment.
Warning for Estate Workers and Residents
Forest officials advised people to avoid walking alone near streams, plantations and forest boundaries during evening and night hours, when wildlife movement is frequent.
Dinamalar reported that workers needing to travel after dark were advised to carry torches, avoid lingering in isolated places and refrain from shouting at or chasing wild animals. Officials urged residents to withdraw safely when they encounter wildlife.
News sources: The New Indian Express and Dinamalar, October 7–8, 2026.
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