Odisha man narrowly escapes attack by 2 bears

A villager in Odisha’s Nabarangpur district had a narrow escape after being attacked by two wild bears while bathing in a creek near his village on Tuesday. Quick action by some cattle herders present nearby helped save his life and get him medical attention.

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According to sources, a frightening encounter with wildlife took place near Jitru Sahi village under Nabarangpur’s Jharigaon block, where a man named Uddhaba Santa was attacked by two bears. The incident occurred when he was taking a bath in a nearby creek, a routine task that turned into a life-threatening experience.

As per local accounts, the bears suddenly emerged from the adjacent forest and launched a surprise attack on Uddhaba. His cries for help caught the attention of local cattle grazers, who rushed to the scene and managed to drive the bears away by shouting and throwing different objects.

Uddhaba, who suffered injuries in the attack, was quickly transported to a nearby medical facility where he was admitted for treatment. Doctors treating him have confirmed that his condition is stable now.

The incident has raised concerns about increasing human-wildlife conflict in forest-adjacent villages of Odisha. Locals have urged forest officials to take preventive measures.

“At around 10.00 AM, he (Uddhaba) had gone to the creek when two bears appeared before him. He was chased by the bears. As he shouted for help, the two animals left the place and went into the forest,” a brother of the man stated.