Six injured during attack by wild boars in Odisha village

In the latest incident of man-animal conflict near Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary in Kendrapara district, at least six persons including two women and an infant were injured today following an attack by hordes of wild boar at Jamboo village.
Three persons including a 15-year-old girl and a 55-year-old woman were injured when they were attacked by the wild boars while three others sustained injuries in the stampede that ensued as the animals chased the people, Mahakalpada Forest Range Officer Bijoy Kumar Parida said.
All of them were hospitalised and are out of danger, he said.
The animals had strayed into crop fields and on their way back to their habitat they had attacked the people, he said.

As the news of the attack spread, people demonstrated in front of the local forest office. They were demanding foolproof measures to curb intrusion of animals like wild boars, crocodiles and spotted deer into places of human habitation.
The injured are being covered under Rs 5,000 compensation award by the forest department. It is also bearing the cost of treatment of the injured persons, the officer said.

With trespass by wild boars being frequent, people are living sleepless nights in Jamboo, Suniti, Bagagahana, Badadandua and a cluster of other forest-side villages. They have resorted to burst fire crackers and beat up gongs to keep the rogue animals at bay, said a local, Samarendra Mahali.

Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division Kedar Kumar Swain said the forest department has intensified watch and vigil in village areas to drive away wild boars. Forest personnel have begun night watch and vigil in villages marked by straying of animals.
Villagers have been advised to avoid movement during night hours when animals mostly make their way to crop fields in village areas. Besides steel-net-barricade is being installed shortly in village borders to ward off animals' intrusion into human settlements, he said.