Excelsior Correspondent
DODA, Jan 9: Panic gripped the residents of Sartingal and Bhejas area of Bhadarwah after a black bear was spotted multiple times in area.
The CCTV footage of the beast vandalising the poultry farm has further send locals to a tizzy.
Sleuths of Wildlife Department, Police and SOG have launched an intensified search operation after a fully grown black bear was spotted roaming in Kaach and Sartingal area along Bhaderwah-Chamba interstate road, where the beast broke doors of a private poultry farm and killed 300 birds.
Residents of Kaach, Sartingal and Bheja villages of Athkhar area in Bhadarwah said the bear raided at dark of the night, lifting its prey from the villages and then roams freely in the area endangering the villagers.
“Black bear tore the iron window mesh of our poultry shed and entered during night and killed 300 chicken before leaving the spot,” said Imtiaz Hussain Ganai Bhat whose poultry farm was ravaged by the bear on Tuesday night.
“After watching CCTV footage, yesterday we decided to stay back at our poultry farm during night and to our surprise the beast again attacked the farm and tried to break the door where we were staying,” Imtiaz said adding that they shouted and beat iron sheets after hearing noises on the door but by then, the bear had killed many chicken.
“Later on, Police and SOG personnel came to our rescue, only then the bear fled away,” he continued.
Wildlife warden Chenab region, Chander Shekhar said several complaints about the bear were also received from adjoining Bheja and Sartingal villages.
“A team of trained Wildlife officials equipped with tranquilizing guns and cages is on the job and a massive operation has been launched to locate the beast,” he said adding, “We are confident that the bear will be tranquilized and caged soon. After which it will be taken to trauma centre Kishtwar.”
Shekhar said that the Wildlife Department has also issued an advisory to the locals and tourists to not to venture out after sunset until the prowling animals are caged.
Meanwhile locals have appealed to the administration to cage the beast at an earliest for the safety of peoples there.
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