Elderly man injured by bear in West Champaran
A 65-year-old farmer was critically injured in a bear attack while collecting fodder near Valmiki Tiger Reserve in West Champaran district.
A 65-year-old farmer was critically injured after being attacked by a bear while collecting fodder near the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran district on Thursday evening, officials said.
The victim, Janak Sah, a resident of Harpur Ghota village in Gaunaha block, was gathering fodder for his livestock on the outskirts of the village around 6pm when the incident occurred.
“A sloth bear attacked the farmer in the Manguraha range,” said Dr Nesamani K, Conservation and Wildlife Director, Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR).
According to people familiar with the matter, the bear suddenly emerged from a field and pounced on Sah, leaving him with serious injuries, particularly on his thigh. The animal fled into a nearby sugarcane field after Sah’s granddaughter raised an alarm and villagers rushed to his aid.
Sah sustained deep wounds on his arms and thigh and required multiple stitches, sources said.
“Our team is on alert and patrolling has been intensified to push the animal back into the forest,” a forest officer said.
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