Fossils of sharks estimated to be 15 million years old were discovered in Baripada town, located in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district. The fossils were unearthed from the Baripada Fossil Bed, according to WION News. Dr. Debabrata Nandi, Assistant Professor in the Department of Remote Sensing and GIS at Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University, Baripada, identified the fossils, according to WION News. The fossils date back to the Miocene epoch, according to WION News. The Miocene epoch is characterized by significant biodiversity and climatic changes. Researchers believe that large parts of present-day Baripada and its surrounding areas were once submerged under a shallow sea, according to WION News. Locals referred to the fossils as 'Asura Hadda', according to The Times of India.