Woman injured in bear attack

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 23

A 36-year-old woman was grievously injured in a bear attack in Dwarikhal block of Pauri Garhwal district today. The victim, Kanti Devi, had gone to the fields for collecting fodder when she was attacked by the bear. She fought the animal with a sickle for nearly twenty minutes before it sped away. Kanti Devi was grievously injured in the attack. She was taken to hospital where her condition is stated to be stable.

The incident took place a day after a woman was mauled to death by a tiger at Purnagiri in Champawat district of Kumaon division of the state. Hema Devi (50) had gone to the forest along with other women to collect fuel wood when she was attacked by the tiger. Her dead body was recovered later from the forest. The Forest Department announced ex-gratia of Rs three lakh for the victim’s family. 

Meanwhile, resentment is growing among inhabitants of Almora district, which is one of the worst affected districts in the state as far as man-animal conflict is concerned. 

Members of Mahila Kalyan Sanstha today staged a dharna at Chaughanpata in Almora alleging the district administration and the state government was doing little to give them respite from attacks by wild animals.