BY Shah Hilal
SRINAGAR: Five people, including a woman, were left critically injured on Friday morning after a series of wild animal attacks in the Dooru area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, triggering panic among residents.
According to locals, a black bear strayed from nearby paddy fields and carried out three separate assaults in the villages of Kralmad and Wavthar, injuring four people. The victims have been identified as Saja Banoo of Wavthar, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat of Wavthar, Sabzar Ahmad Seh of Sadiwara, and Abdul Rasheed of Buman Sadiwara. They were rushed to Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag, where they remain under treatment.
In a separate incident in Manzmoh village, a leopard mauled Bashir Ahmad Dar, leaving him seriously injured. He was also referred to GMC Anantnag for advanced medical care.
Officials from the Control Room in Dooru rushed to the affected areas to assess the situation and extend assistance. The consecutive attacks have fuelled fear and resentment among villagers, who accused the Wildlife Department of failing to curb the increasing incidents of wild animals straying into human settlements.
Residents have demanded immediate preventive measures, including intensified patrolling and the installation of protective mechanisms to safeguard agricultural fields and homes.
