VISAKHAPATNAM: A bear killed a farmer and injured six more in Kidisingi village under Vajrapu Kottur police station in Srikakulam district. The deceased was Kondalarao (72), police said on Monday.
Police said the bear attacked the farmer in a cashew orchard. The injured were Appala Swamy, Purushottam, Chalapathi, Shanmukha Rao, Santosh and Tulasidas. Ten heads of cattle were also injured in the bear attack.
The five injured villagers were shifted to a private hospital in Srikakulam. The rest were treated at a hospital in Patapatnam.
About 20 forest personnel arrived at the scene with tranquilisers and launched a hunt to trace the animal. The bear was seen roaming in the area with its cubs.
“In June 2018, a couple was killed and six others were injured by a wild bear in Sompeta mandal, neighbouring Vajrapu Kotturu mandal. Angry villagers chased the bear and killed it. This time too, the villagers tried to chase the bear, but were attacked by the wild animal,” Lakkoju Srinivasa, a native of the Uddanam area, stated.
Fisheries minister Appala Raju talked over phone with the police chiefs and forest officials to advise them to trace the animal and take it to the Vizag zoo.
