5 villagers injured in bear attack in Keonjhar

Champua: Human-bear conflict has assumed grave proportions in Odisha after five more persons were injured by a bear which strayed into human habitation in Keonjhar district today.

Five villagers of Rajabasa, Siriabahala and Hundula under Balibandha forest beat were attacked by a bear while they had gone outside to attend nature's call, said sources.

The injured were rushed to Jhumpura hospital and have been shifted to Keonjhar district headquarters hospital in a critical condition.

This is not an isolated case where villagers were attacked by bears and of late frequency of such conflicts has increased. Experts believe that such incidents are mostly reported from areas which are in close proximity to forests.

Earlier this month, a man was mauled to death by a sloth bear in a forest near Pharsaguda under Kodinga GP of Nabarangpur district. The villager was dragged away by the wild animal while he was attending nature’s call.

Similarly, in Hudi Sahi under Korei police limits of Jajpur district, a sloth bear killed a man and injured another villager inside a cashew plantation.

In another incident in April, three persons were killed and seven others were critically injured after being attacked by a bear in Keonjhar.