Bear attacks spread fear in Bharmour villages; patrolling intensified, says forest officer | Chandigarh News

Chamba: Residents of nearly three dozen villages in Bharmour block of Chamba are gripped by fear following repeated bear attacks that claimed a life in Nov and left another person injured in Dec.Angered by the administration’s alleged inaction, villagers staged a protest on the road and asked the govt to capture the wild animal, failing which they would launch an agitation.Shyam Singh, gram pradhan of Khani village, said on Wednesday that in the last week of Nov, Satya Devi, a woman in her late 50s, was killed in a bear attack. A couple of days ago, another woman, Guddu Devi, in her 60s, was seriously injured in a similar incident and was admitted to Medical College Tanda for treatment. District forest officer Kirtgya Kumar said he met residents and assured them all necessary measures would be taken to prevent bear attacks. He added cages, tranquilizer guns, and other equipment have been dispatched including shields, for the protection of staff , and forest patrolling has been increased. Locals have also been requested to assist in joint patrolling, he said. According to Shyam Singh, Satya Devi was attacked while she went into the forest to graze her goats and cattle, while Guddu Devi was injured when she was returning home. “Earlier, bears rarely attacked people, but now such incidents became frequent,” he said.The DFO said the Khani panchayat area was known for its apple orchards, and bears are often attracted to leftover apples, which brings them closer to human settlements. Hitesh Jaryal, a resident of Bharmour and president of the Youth Congress, said according to rough estimates, over 15 bears are roaming in the vicinity of nearly 32 villages in Khani and Greema panchayats. Their presence created widespread panic, with residents afraid to step outside their homes.Shyam Singh said they submitted a memorandum to the Chamba administration, urging authorities to capture the bears or take necessary measures to prevent them from approaching human settlements. Stating that so far no action was taken, he warned that the residents would be compelled to launch an agitation.