Balangir, May 31: At least four persons were injured when a bear entered the villages adjoining the forest in Saintala and Deogaon range in the district.
One villager, who had been seriously injured in the bear attack last night, was shifted to VSS hospital in Burla.
The injured have been identified as Hiradhar Selma, 35, Malati Podh, 48, Biranchi Kuanr, 50, and Bharat Podh, 50. Forest officials told the villagers not to be scared and were watching the animal’s movement.
Sources said a bear from the nearby forest suddenly appeared at Liakani village when Bharat was working in the field with wife Malati. The animal attacked the couple. When they shouted, it fled from the spot.
On the way, the bear attacked Hiradhar and Biranchi at Kandamunda village before entering the Sindurduhula forest. Local people and officials of the Saintala and Deogaon forest range rushed to the spot and admitted the injured to district headquarters hospital.
Later, Hiradhar was shifted to VSS hospital, while others are under treatment at the district headquarters hospital. The villagers said that due to the unbearable heat and the drying up of water bodies in the forest, animals were coming out of in search of water at the nearby villages.
“It seems that the animals can’t get enough water during these hot summer days. Thus they venture into the human habitation to look for water sources. At times, they attack the villagers,” said Mukund Kuanr of Kandamunda.
Balangir divisional forest officer Abhiram Naik said the forest department would bear Hiradhar’s treatment cost.
“The animal might have ventured into the village to eat the Mohua fruit and flowers. There is no need to be scared. We are having a close watch on the animal,” Naik said.