A bear cub got its head stuck in the railings of a gate in a town in southern India. 

The incident occurred at Kotagiri town in Udhagamandalam district of Tamil Nadu, India, on August 25. 

A bear mother had sneaked into the town with two of her babies looking for food. 

As she was searching for food, one of the cubs strayed into a house and got its head stuck in between the railings of a gate.

As it shrieked in fear, her mother – carrying the other sibling – tried to free the cub but failed. She also chased away the residents of the area who tried to help the cub.

Forest officials and fire service personnel, who were summoned, shooed away the mother bear and gently extricated the distressed cub by cutting open the bars of the gate.

A forest official said the cub remained trapped for nearly an hour.

Officials released the cub in a nearby forest later where the mother and the other calf were last spotted.

Assistant Conservator of Forests K Saravanakumar said the family was reunited and all the three animals were spotted together on August 26.