Wild bear kills five, injure five others

Bhubaneswar, Apr 30 (UNI) Wildlife officials along with police shot dead a wild bear after it turned violent and killed five people and critically injured as many near Dengaguda village under Kodinga Police Station of Nawarangpur district today.

While four villagers died on the spot, one succumbed to his injuries at the district headquarters hospital in Nawarangpur. All the injured were battling for their lives in the hospital, police said.

The wild bear attacked the villagers and mauled five of them before killing them while they were returning home after watching an opera. The animal also injured five others.

Eyewitnesses said the bear had grown so violent that it started eating the flesh of the deceased and did not allow anyone to go close to the victims for around five hours.

The bear was shot dead after all efforts by wildlife officials and police to drive away the animal failed.

At first the wildlife officials tried to drive it away by showing fireballs. But when it did not work, they resorted to blank firing.

It also failed to make any impact on the bear. Finally, the wild bear was shot dead, the sources said.

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