Bear attacks people in Odisha’s Kalahandi; injures two, still at large

Two persons were seriously injured in an attack by a wild bear which strayed into Bhawanipatna town in Odisha from the nearby forest on Friday, triggering panic among the people, officials said. After entering the town in Kalahandi district, the bear apparently felt insecure at the sight of people on the streets and attacked some of them, causing serious injuries to two persons, police said. Some youths rescued the injured persons, who were admitted to Bhawanipatna Government Hospital, a police official said, adding that one of the injured was later shifted to a hospital in Bhubaneswar as his condition worsened. In view of the situation, the police had to use loudspeakers to ask the people not to venture out of houses and close down shops.