Koraput: Panic has spread Bijapur village under Borigumma forest range as a hyena has been spotted roaming the area and attacking livestock over the past few days.
Villagers say the wild animal enters the village at night, creating fear and sleepless nights among locals. So far, the hyena has killed three goats and injured a calf. “On Wednesday night, it entered my cowshed and attacked a calf,” said Gopal Krushna Ray, a Bijapur resident.
With the fear of an attack looming, villagers have refrained from stepping out of their homes after dark. “We urge the officials concerned of the forest department to catch the animal and release it into the forest,” Ray added. Forest officials said the situation is being closely monitored.
“Our field staff are on duty and tracking the movement of the animal. Sometimes, hyenas enter villages adjacent to forest areas and leave on their own. Still, not to take any chance, our officials are monitoring its movement,” said Pratap Kumar Behera, divisional forest officer (DFO) of Jeypore.
Authorities have advised residents to stay alert and not to step out at night until the animal is caught.