3 killed, 7 hurt in bear attack; Bear too beaten to death!

Keonjhar: Tension ran high at Bhalupahadi Sahi in Khadiadiha village in Keonjhar district after three persons were killed and seven others, including two forest officials, sustained injuries in a bear attack Monday morning. Infuriated, the villagers beat the bear to death.

While one of the deceased has been identified as Naba Kishore Nayak, a forest official who also succumbed to injuries has not been identified yet. The third person died at the hospital while undergoing treatment, reports claimed.

According to reports, when Naba Kishore had gone to his garden this morning, a wild bear all of a sudden attacked and dragged him to a pit.

Nayak's two sons Paramananda and Chandra, rushed to rescue their father, but received grievous injuries in the attack. Naba Kishore reportedly died on the spot.

On getting information, forests officials rushed to the spot and launched a drive to trap the animal. However, two of the officials along with a few other villagers sustained injuries and were rushed to hospital.

Sources said despite numerous attempts by the forest officials to drive away the animal, the bear did not leave the spot and was sitting beside the body of Naba Kishore when irate villagers beat it to death.