Bear killed by villagers after injuring two in Kashmir

Srinagar, Nov 5 (UNI) A wild bear was killed by villagers after he attacked and wounded two people in south Kashmir, official sources said.

They said a bear suddenly appeared in village Cheki Ishardas, Mattan, in South Kashmir district of Anantnag early this morning and attacked pedestrians.

Two people Mohammad Yousuf Matoo and Mohammad Afzal Malik were injured. However, they were rescued by the villagers who also attacked bear with lathis, killing him on the spot.

This was the fourth time, villagers killed wild animals in the Kashmir valley during the past one year.

The animal-man conflict had increased in the Kashmir valley resulting in the death of more than a dozen people and injuries to several others injured during the past few months.

In retaliation the villagers also killed three wild animals in the valley during the same period, evoking massive protest by several organizations across the country after some television channel showed a bear being set on fire by agitated villagers.

However, people in Kashmir rejected the protests saying that scores of villagers, including women and children, were killed or wounded by wild animals.

UNI