In a horrifying incident, three men were seriously injured in Tamil Nadu’s Tenkasi district on Sunday, November 6, after they were attacked by a bear in a forest area near Kadayam. As per reports, this is a place where animals usually steer clear of humans. The incident, which was caught on camera, showed the bear attacking the man’s face and his upper body. Meanwhile, onlookers were screaming and making loud noises in a bid to scare the animal away.
Speaking to NDTV, the police said that the man who was attacked is a local vendor. He panicked when he saw the bear and his two-wheeler hit the animal, which provoked the attack. Two other men who rushed to help the man, who was getting attacked were also injured in the bear attack. The three men were rescued by the village residents and were admitted to the Tirunelveli Government Medical College Hospital for treatment.
A bear attacked 3 men in Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu on Sunday. Two men came to help the man being attacked who were also attacked. Very disturbing visuals, viewer discretion advised. pic.twitter.com/cpLK7GviOC
— Akchayaa Rajkumar (@akchayaa_r) November 7, 2022
Residents of the village staged a roadblock in front of the Kadayam forest office accusing the officials for failing to maintain a solar fence and digging trenches to keep animals away from the village, the New Indian Express reported. The people dispersed after Deputy Superintendent of Police Alangulam Ponnarasu, Tenkasi Tahsildar Athinarayanan and forest Ranger Karunamoorthy assured them that measures were taken to catch the bear. Seeking the help of veterinarians from Tirunelveli Veterinary College and Research Centre, the forest officials and the police were able to capture the bear after tranquilising it, The New Indian Express.
Forest officials speaking to NDTV said that this is the first time a bear had attacked a human despite bear sightings and reports of attacks on animals. A similar incident took place 20 days back when a woman was attacked by a bear in Kovilpatti village in the Kadayam forest area.