RAIPUR: A wildlife activist has filed a petition in Mahasamund court seeking direction from court to register an FIR against eight policemen and two forest officials for brutal killing of a sloth bear in March 2016 that had earlier mauled three persons. Chhattisgarh forest department had drawn sharp criticism when the Schedule 1 animal – a wild bear was riddled with 16 bullets in a decision taken “in haste”, on orders of deputy DFO.The bear had mauled three persons including deputy forest ranger in March last year when two villagers had gone into forest to collect mahua fruit and in an attempt to save them the ranger intervened and got killed.Forest department’s senior officials had admitted to the mistake and were quoted as saying that local forest officers were supposed to seek permission from PCCF Wildlife before shooting down the bear or any wildlife animal. It was found that the officials didn't seek permission and launched shoot by policemen, which was violation of Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Although in emergency situation where it becomes mandatory to kill the animal as an act of self defense, they may proceed, yet an investigation was ordered.Wildlife enthusiasts had alleged that it was humans who ventured into the vicinity of bar and as they collect most of the mahua fruits from forest, it leaves wild bear starving, hence, it consider humans as enemies.Later, it was found that six-year-old bear was found to be feeding mother of three cubs and the autopsy report shows it was starving since many days as they found nothing in its stomach except the piece of human flesh which it had freshly killed. Its aggression could also be because someone might have tried to pester its cubs. Bear who are fond of Mahua fruit frequent in forests in its search but hardly find much for its appetite as most of Mahua fruits are collected and taken away by villagers. Furious over hunger and finding nothing much to eat, bear usually attack on humans the moment they spot them inside forest, assuming them as enemies who are later tagged as maneaters, forest officials informed.Wildlife enthusiast and RTI activist Kunal Shukla has filed a petition in court seeking FIR against persons responsible for the incident. He said that the deputy DFO had said that he got verbal permission from PCCF to kill the animal following which policemen in a group opened indiscriminate fire at the bear.As per the Section 11 of Wildlife (Conservation) Act 1972, it’s only PCCF who can take decision on killing a sloth bear.“In fact the investigation committee later, in its report has mentioned that the bear was very much in its own natural habitat and it wasn’t in attacking mode when it was riddled with bullets.Shukla had written to Environment and forest department, director of wildlife preservation, state government, Mahasamund SP but when no FIR was lodged against culprits, he had filed a petition.Chhattisgarh witnesses frequent incidents of human-animal conflict leading to deaths of animals or humans and it continues amid fight for food. Mahasamund is home to numerous animal species, including hundreds of black sloth bears that's listed in Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.