Nabarangpur: Sighting of bears inside an under-construction house triggered panic among locals at Antasar village under Nandahandi block in Nabarangpur district Saturday.
According to a villager, as many as three bears have taken shelter in the house. They have so far not caused any harm to anyone.
Locals first spotted the bears in the under-construction house of Arun Bisoyee Saturday morning. As the news spread, panic-stricken people stopped going close to the place and children were kept inside.
The forest department officials were informed immediately. Later, the officials reached the spot and took various measures to ensure that no harm is caused to human beings and animals.
“We are keeping a watch on the bears. As it is our first priority to send the animals back to jungle safely, we are waiting for a suitable time. At the same time, we are concerned about the safety of villagers,” an official said.
According to the villagers, a sloth of bears had strayed into the village from the nearby jungle in search of food Friday night. As it started raining, all but these three managed to return to the jungle. And these three took shelter in the partly-constructed house.
PNN