Dugadda bear attack: woman killed collecting fodder near Kotdwar, villagers say warnings were ignored

Dugadda bear attack: a woman was killed by a bear in the Dugadda area of Pauri district in Uttarakhand on Saturday after she went into a forest to collect cattle fodder, officials told PTI, in a report carried by ThePrint. Locals said the forest department had taken no concrete action despite being told that two bears were in the area.

How the Dugadda bear attack unfolded at Charekh village

The incident occurred around 12.30 pm near Charekh village, officials said. Anjana Devi had gone into the forest with four other women, some 500 metres from her home, to collect fodder for her cow. According to witnesses, a bear emerged from the bushes, attacked her and began dragging her away. Startled by the noise, the bear let go of her and fled into the forest.

She had severe injuries to her neck and abdomen and was rushed to Government Base Hospital in Kotdwar, where doctors declared her dead. Amar Ujala’s Hindi report described the attack as one by two bears on a woman cutting grass near Kotdwar, and said she died before reaching hospital.

What villagers and the forest department said

The incident sparked outrage among locals, who alleged that no concrete action had been taken despite their warnings about two bears. Villager Shekhar Singh said bear movement near homes has been a recurring problem in the region. Last year, a bear attacked and injured a labourer in the same area, the report said.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sandeep Kumar and Divisional Forest Officer Tarun S went to the hospital. Kumar told PTI that the issue of the bear menace raised by locals would be addressed urgently. The forest officer said an ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh has been given to the husband of the deceased woman, an Anganwadi worker.

Key numbers

• 12.30 pm: the approximate time of the attack, per ThePrint.
• 500 metres: how far from her home the woman was, per the same PTI report.
• 4: women who went into the forest with her, per ThePrint.
• 2: bears that locals say they had reported to the forest department.
• Rs 3 lakh: ex-gratia given to her husband, according to the divisional forest officer.

Background: Pauri bear attack complaints

Locals said sightings near homes are not new, and the PTI report noted a bear had injured a labourer in the same area last year. NIS has also covered wildlife on Uttarakhand’s roads, including a wild elephant that stepped on a biker twice on a Dehradun highway.

What happens next

Kumar said the villagers’ complaint would be taken up urgently. The reports reviewed do not say whether the forest department has set cages or started patrols after the Dugadda bear attack.