A victim of wild boar attack at Kendrapara district headquarters hospital. Telegraph picture
Paradip, Dec. 29:Tension mounted up at Jamboo village beside the Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary in Kendrapara as at least 10 persons were injured following attack by wild boars early morning today.
In retaliation, a mob consisting of local residents have allegedly hacked to death a male wild boar even as reports of herbivores ravaging the crop fields in the sanctuary-side villages continue to pour in.
Later the villagers cordoned the local forest office protesting against growing cases of animal attacks on humans.
'Ten persons were injured following the animal attack today. The seriously injured persons, Goutam Manity, 30, Chandan Paik, 39, and Samar Mandal, 45, were admitted to Kendrapara district headquarters hospital. Seven others suffered minor injury following the attack and were treated at nearby Mahakalpada Community Health Centre,' saidMahakalpada forest range officer Bijoy Kumar Parida.
'The forest department is bearing the cost of their treatment. The injured persons would later be sanctioned Rs 5,000 financial assistance according to the forest department rules,' said Parida.
'The mutilated body of a male wild boar was recovered on the southern part of the village. It bore multiple injury marks on its body. It appears to a retaliatory killing by local residents as wild boars are found ravaging the standing crop in these areas. A case under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, provisions has been registered in connection with the animal's unnatural death,' said officer of Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) forest division Kedar Kumar Swain.
An official said that following the incident, though people had staged demonstration in front of the forest beat office, the situation was brought under control.
'The department is aware of animal intrusion into the village areas. Forest personnel have begun night watch and vigil at villages, which are marked by straying of animals. The department has formed night-vigil squads regarding this,' said Swain.
'By bursting fire crackers and beating up drums, they have been trying to keep the wild boars at bay. Besides, the villagers have been advised to avoid movement during night and early morning hours when animals mostly make their way to crop fields in the village areas. Moreover, steel-net barricade is being installed on village borders to ward off the animal intrusion,' he said.
Forest personnel, however, are of the view that the villagers are exposing themselves to croc attack by venturing into the croc-infested water bodies.
On the other hand, people feel that their safety has been jeopardised in the wake of frequent acts of trespassing by wild animals into their villages.
Violence had erupted at the sanctuary-side Sasanapeta village on October 18 last year following the death of a villager in boar attack. The irate residents had set ablaze the nearby Gahirmatha forest range office and triggered extensive damage to the department properties, including motorised sea-worthy vessels earmarked for turtle protection programme.