Two men were mauled to death by a sloth bear in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday, March 23. The Uddanam region of Srikakulam, which includes the Vajrapukotturu mandal where the attack took place, has witnessed several bear attacks in the last few years.
The two victims have been identified as farmers Lokanadham and Laishetti Kumar. The condition of another woman farmer, Kumari, is critical. Kumari has been shifted to Palasa Hospital for treatment.
The death prompted residents in Uddanam to stage a protest against the YSR Congress party (YSRCP) led state government. They’ve asked for bear cubs in the area to be shifted and transported to a zoo.
District Forest Officer (DFO) Disha Kumari informed the media that they would work on creating awareness among people regarding man-animal conflict and warn them of areas where sloth bear movement is common.
“A dedicated team under the Sub Divisional Forest Officer in Tekkali is being constituted to continuously monitor sloth bear movement to avoid such instances. Further, mass awareness campaigns will be held until the end of the cashew collection season,” the DFO’s office stated in a press note.
This isn’t the first time that sloth bears have attacked residents of the Uddanam region. In June 2022, seven people were injured in Kidisingi village. The bears are usually spotted in cashew orchards in Srikakulam, especially during the harvest season between March and July.