A bear spread terror in several villages of Nilgiri block in Baleswar district on Thursday after straying into foothill patches from a reserve forest.
Not only did the adult wild bear kill a 66-year-old person, the beast also injured at least seven persons, including critically wounding a forester of Mitrapur. The deceased was identified as Jaykrushna Barik (66) of Radhaballavpur under Dhobsila gram panchayat.
Forester Shayma Singh (54) of Mitrapur, having deep skull injury, is struggling with life in the district headquarters hospital and is likely to be shifted to the SCB Medical College Hospital soon.
Although an attempt was made to cage the bear, yet it proved futile. The ferocious beast, after attacking several persons, is currently taking shelter in house of one Madhu Behera in Kantabania village.
The forest personnel, accompanied by the police, were guarding the house to prevent attack from either the side of the bear or the villagers. "The safety of the bear as well as the villagers is important for us. We are waiting the sun to set as we presumed it would come out with emergence of darkness and enter forest," informed Nilgiri Range Officer laxman Pradhan, adding that his team did not have a tranquiliser to capture the bear.
Besides Forester Singh, others undergoing treatment in the district headquarters hospital are Taramani Swain (66), his son Harekrushna Swain (48) and a neighbour Rabi Singh (28). Patitapaban Dey and two other persons sustained minor injuries.
The bear, after escaping from forest area in the early hours, initially took shelter in house of one Kasinath Swain. It attacked his wife and son, killing the latter on the spot.
Nilgiri Sub Collector Manoj Mohanty said, "The administration is taking all possible measures to prevent any harm to the bear as well as to the public. We are warning people through public announcement system of not approaching the bear near its hiding place."
This was the third incident of a bear attacking humans in the State in last one week.
While a female bear in Kotpad was lynched by a furious mob after it took the lives of eight persons on Saturday last, a 10-year-old bear was killed and burnt by violent villagers in the Turumunga area in Keonjhar district on last Friday.