Eight farmers were injured when a bear attacked them in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district on Monday, June 20. The incident occurred near Vajrapukotturu town of the district. The condition of six of the injured is stated to be critical. The bear attacked farmers working in cashew and coconut plantations between Kidisingi and Vajrapukotturu. Ten cattle were also injured in the bear attack.
Eyewitnesses said the bear attacked farmers and cattle, causing people to panic. Six of the injured persons were shifted to the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Srikakulam. The incident created a scare among people in the area. Police and forest officials rushed to the village. They spoke to the local residents and gathered details of the incident.
The forest officials have begun efforts to trace and catch the bear. Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Minister Seediri Appalarju reportedly spoke to officials and directed them to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured. He also asked forest officials to take immediate steps to catch the bear.
Meanwhile, efforts are also on to capture a tiger which strayed into human habitations in the Kakinada district a few days back. The tiger’s movement has sparked fear among the residents of some villages under Prathipadu, Gollaprolu and other mandals. The adult male tiger has been wandering in villages near the forest area since May 23. It had killed a few livestock including several buffaloes. While officials who inspected the pug marks initially suspected it to be of a leopard, CCTV cameras installed subsequently confirmed the presence of the tiger.
More than 120 forest personnel had been deployed to capture the animal. Earlier, District Forest Officer IKV Raju had said that if the tiger continues to roam around the villages, they will capture and leave it in the forest. The New Indian Express reported that a special team from Maharashtra is set to visit Kakinada to capture the tiger.