COIMBATORE: A woman Gnana Thilagam (38) was injured in a bear attack near Pandalur in the Nilgiris district, while a mother-son duo were hospitalised after a gaur attack in Manampalli forest range, Valparai on Tuesday.
According to sources, the first incident took place around 7 am when Gnana Thilagam was washing clothes outside the Tamil Nadu Tea Plantation Corporation quarters, Kolapalli near the Choondi forests. The bear that was hiding in tea bushes pounced on and mauled her.
As the news spread, estate workers called a strike demanding the forest department to take protective measures against an increasing man-animal conflict in the region.
Speaking about the incident, forest officer (south) C Badrasamy, who is in-charge of the Gudalur division, said, "As per the request, we plan to place a cage to trap the animal. We have directed wild life veterinarian NS Manokaran to identify the danger zones at Kolapalli where the bear is usually spotted."
Badrasamy said the injuries sustained by the victim were not serious, adding that the forest department would provide adequate compensation after verifying medical records.
The department officials told Express that they were also verifying claims that the same woman was injured in similar attacks on more than two occasions.
In the second incident, 40 year-old Laila and her 20-year-old son Babu, both of Kejamudi estate near Valparai, were injured in a gaur attack around 6 am when they were walking towards the bus stand. The injured were being treated at the estate hospital, sources said.
