Man injured in Chamba village bear attack

A man was seriously injured in a bear attack at Basodhan village of Chamba district late on Tuesday. The victim, Jalam, had gone to graze his sheep and goats near Banar Dhar when the incident occurred.

As Jalam was cutting grass, the bear came near him. Despite his attempts to scare it away by shouting, the animal struck him on the face, leaving him severely wounded.

Villagers who were nearby started making loud noises, forcing the bear to flee. Jalam was rushed to Chamba Medical College in 108 ambulance, where he received initial treatment for deep wounds on his face. Due to the seriousness of his injuries, he was later referred to Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda.

The incident has raised concerns in the local community, as reports of presence of a bear in the area had surfaced previously, but no action was taken by the authorities concerned.

Nirmala Devi, the head of Basodhan gram panchayat, said the panchayat would provide necessary support to the injured. She added that a proposal would be sent to the Wildlife Department to capture the bear and prevent further attacks.