Post News Network
Nabarangpur, June 14: A pack of five wild bears unleashed a reign of terror Tuesday and mauled to death three persons in Singadi forest along Jharigaon-Chandahandi road in Nabarangpur district while three others including a police officer sustained critical injuries.
Police recovered the body of Lambodar Majhi (62) of Phatki village while the bodies of Nakul Majhi (50) and his wife of the same village couldn’t be traced due to darkness and fear of Maoists. The search operation was postponed in the evening. The administration, however, is yet to declare Nakul and his wife dead.
The injured identified as Bhajaman Majhi (25), his brother Banshi Majhi of Batajhar village and Chandahandi OIC Devkumar Gamang were admitted to Chandahandi CHC. Doctors referred Bhajaman to Nabarangpur DHH as his condition worsened.
According to reports, Lambodar, Nakul and his wife went inside the forest to collect greens when the animals pounced on them. Phatki sarpanch Parama Majhi and 10 others entered the forest to recover the bodies as the news spread in the village. However, they too were attacked by the pack of bears in which Bhajaman and Banshi got severely injured.
On being informed, forester Prafulla Majhi, ranger Khagapati Pujari, BDO Tapas Pumar Bhoi, OIC Gamang and several policemen launched an operation to trace the bodies. They too were not spared by the killer animals as one of them attacked OIC Gamang and he escaped with injuries. He was admitted to the CHC.
It was learnt that Nabarangpur forest division has sent a 16-member team to impound the animals. However, they are yet to begin their operations since the division lacks a tranquiliser unit. The operation would begin Wednesday morning after a unit from Bhawanipatna was pressed into service, officials said.
The families of the victims would be given an instant cash assistance of `10,000 to perform last rites.
