NUAPADA/SAMBALPUR: In a grisly incident, a bear mauled three persons to death before allegedly being killed by angry villagers in Samarsingh village under Nuapada district's Komna block on Friday.
Two other persons were also injured in the incident.
The deceased were identified as Ratan Majhi, Nakul Majhi and Rabi Rana, residents of Samarsingh village under Lakhna police limits. The injured Kuna Majhi and Parmeshwar Majhi are, currently, undergoing treatment at Nuapada district hospital.
Sources said that Ratan, Nakul and Rabi were on their way to their farmland through a forest in the morning when they encountered a bear which mauled them to death.
As they did not return till late evening, Kuna and Parmeshwar - Ratan's family members - started a frantic search when the bear reappeared and attacked them. Parmeshwar climbed up a tree to save himself but Kuna could not escape and ended up grappling with the bear.
Hearing their screams, a group of villagers reached the forest and the bear turned more violent witnessing the mob. When it tried to attack, villagers retaliated and chased it down. Though it was reported that villagers have killed the animal, it is yet to be confirmed by forest officials.