Indian-origin man killed in rare bear attack in Canada
What's the story
Hrishikesh Koloth, a 27-year-old Indian-origin mixed martial arts (MMA) trainee, was killed in a rare bear attack at a uranium exploration site in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The incident took place on May 8 while he was working as a contractor technician for Vancouver-based UraniumX Discovery Corp. The site is located near Nordbye Lake, about 850km northeast of Saskatoon.
Background
Koloth had been training in MMA for over a decade
Koloth hailed from Kerala, India, and had moved to Canada three years ago. He lived in Penticton, British Columbia, with his elder brother Arjun Koloth. Hrishikesh had been training in MMA for over a decade and was looking forward to pursuing a professional fighting career with hopes of one day reaching the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Family tribute
'That was his dream'
Arjun recalled the moment he got the news of his brother's death. "An RCMP came to my door and knocked and let me know that your brother has passed away in Saskatchewan," he said. He added Hrishikesh's dream was to fight in the UFC, saying, "That was his dream. That's why he came here."
Incident probe
Investigation underway
A civilian worker at the site shot and killed the bear after the attack. The animal's remains were sent to Saskatoon's Western College of Veterinary Medicine for a necropsy. The Saskatchewan Conservation Officer Service's wildlife human attack response team is investigating with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Saskatchewan Coroners Service.
Attack rarity
Fatal bear attacks rare in Saskatchewan
Fatal bear attacks are extremely rare in Saskatchewan, with Koloth's death being only the fourth recorded fatal incident in the province's history. The last such incident was in August 2020, when a woman was killed near her cabin north of Buffalo Narrows. The other two incidents were recorded near Nipawin Provincial Park in 1983.