Aspiring MMA Fighter From Kerala Killed In Rare Bear Attack In Canada

An aspiring Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter from Kerala was killed in a rare bear attack on May 8 while working at a remote uranium exploration site in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. Hrishikesh Koloth, 27, had relocated to Canada three years ago to live with his older brother, Arjun, in Penticton, British Columbia. Koloth was employed as a contract technician at the Zoo Bay property operated by Vancouver-based UraniumX Discovery Corp, near Nordbye Lake, approximately 850 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon, when the incident took place.

Following the attack, a civilian worker on the site shot and killed the bear. The animal's remains were then transported to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon for a necropsy to help investigators determine the bear's physical condition, health, and any other evidence that might explain the incident.

Beyond his work as a contract technician, Koloth was passionate about boxing and had been actively training for over a decade with dreams of making it to the UFC. His untimely death cut short both his professional aspirations and his promising athletic journey.

"That was his dream. That's why he came here," Arjun was quoted as saying by CBC. "He wanted to fight in the UFC."

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Arjun revealed that his brother trained with Skoden Martial Arts in Penticton and that "everyone" had high hopes of him. "It shouldn't have been like this."

"We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss. The safety and well-being of our employees, contractors, and all personnel working on our projects is, and will always remain, our highest priority," UraniumX Discovery Corp CEO Esen Boldkhuu said in a statement.

The Conservation Officer Service's wildlife human attack response team is investigating alongside the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Saskatchewan Coroners Service.

Fatal bear attacks in Saskatchewan are rare, with Koloth's death marking only the fourth recorded incident in provincial history. The previous death occurred in August 2020, when a 44-year-old woman was killed near her cabin north of Buffalo Narrows. Before that, the only other recorded deaths were two men killed in separate 1983 incidents near Nipawin Provincial Park.