A jackal, reportedly rabid, injured 11 persons in Sianri panchayat under the Bhogarai block of Balasore district on Tuesday, triggering panic among the villagers.
According to sources, the jackal sneaked into the village from nearby jungles in the afternoon. The wild animal injured as many as 11 persons by evening.
Some of the seriously injured villagers have been identified as Chaitanya Patra ( 65), Gajendra Jena ( 85), Kabita Patra (40), Pandari Kaksha Mishra ( 42), Shantilata Pradhan (75), Sulochana Pradhan ( 35) and Basanti Patra (40). Of them, five seriously injured persons have been admitted to Jaleswar Community Health Centre (CHC). Those who suffered minor injuries were discharged after primary treatment. The animal also left several domestic animals injured in Belda village.
As per the latest reports, the villagers managed to ensnare the animal.
“It was around 3 pm. We were in the market. Then suddenly a jackal came from nowhere and attacked a calf. Then it attacked a woman near the village temple, leaving her seriously injured. It attacked some 11 villagers,” said Jayant Kumar Patra, a villager.