SRIKAKULAM: In a tragic incident, two farmers died and one suffered severe injuries after a wild bear attacked them on the outskirts of Anakapalli village under Vajrapukotturu Mandal in Srikakulam district on Saturday.
The deceased farmers have been identified as Appikonda Kurmarao (45) and Sidipalli Lokanatham (46). Another woman farmer Kumari suffered severe injuries.
The bear reportedly attacked the farmers while they were working in the cashew orchard. The residents of Anakapalli rushed to the spot hearing cries of help from the victims and killed the wild bear to save the farmers.
Based on the locals' information, Palasa-Kasibugga Range forest officials reached the spot and sounded a high alert in Anakapalli and neighbouring villages on the bear's presence. They have shifted the injured woman farmer to Palasa Hospital for treatment.
It may be recalled that three persons out of seven were killed when a bear attacked them while they were working in cashew orchards in Kidisingi Village Under Vajrapukotturu Mandal on 20 June 2022. Kalamata Kodandarao (50) died on spot. Tamada Shanmukharao and Sirla Chalapathirao (45) died while they were availing treatment in a private hospital at Visakhapatnam after 40 days.
The presence of the bears near the human habitations triggered panic among the locals in the Uddanam region.