Russian Train Crew Intentionally Runs Over Wild Bear [Video]

Two Russian locomotive drivers could face disciplinary and legal action after a footage showing them intentionally running over a bear went viral. According to Russia Today, the incident happened earlier last week near the city of Norilsk. The video footage was captured by one of the drivers on duty. It shows a bear running along the tracks, probably terrified at the sound of the locomotive.

Instead of slowing down the locomotive, which would have been the standard procedure in cases like these, the train drivers maintain the speed and allegedly decided to intentionally run over the bear and kill it. At the end of the 20-second video, one of the persons inside the cabin is heard yelling in excitement to “Run it over,” reports the Telegraph.

The bear was intentionally run over by the drivers at around 2 a.m. at night, according to an official from the Western Siberian Transport Prosecutor’s Office. The official added that a full-scale investigation has been launched into the case. Meanwhile, efforts were were made to trace the body of bear with the aid of local security services. They formed a small search group. They were, however, unable to recover the body. And for good reason — the bear had miraculously survived without injury. The search team found the animal safe and sound 24 hours into their search.

According to Pyotr Liholitov, the spokesman for Norilsk Nickel, the company that owns the part of the railroad where the incident took place, the bear was thrown off the tracks as the locomotive was fitted with a moldboard — an instrument used to clean snow from the tracks.

“The moldboard on the locomotive, which is used to clean the tracks from snow, just threw the bear off the tracks,” he said.

Pyotr added that the drivers were in clear violation of their responsibilities, and that they were required to stop in a situation like this.

“We are conducting the inspection not because we feel sorry for the bear, but we will assess the legality of the crew’s actions. We cannot leave this video without attention,” Senior Assistant Prosecutor Oksana Gorbunova confirmed.

Meanwhile, animal rights activists from Russia are outraged by the video, and are pressuring authorities to press charges against the errant train drivers. According to Irina Novozhilova, the president of the Vita Animal Rights’ Center, it is evident from the video that the two train drivers clearly wanted to kill the bear.

“Yes, I think the shouts [“Run it over!”] can be qualified as sadistic,” she adds.

If charged, the train drivers could face imprisonment up to two years for animal abuse.

[Image Via Paul Kalra]