Kotpad, Koraput, May 7 : A bear, which had killed eight persons including a couple in Kotpad area in the last two days, was beaten to death by villagers on Sunday.
The bear, which was hiding under a culvert in a forest near Andramunda under Kotpad block of Koraput district, had attacked three women and injured two others on Saturday when they had gone to collect firewood. One of the women died on the spot.
After killing the woman, the bear went berserk in the forest and mauled seven others including a couple to death on Sunday.
It also injured three persons while they were passing through the route, said Jeypore DFO Laxmikanta Mishra.
Angry over the incident, the villagers chased the bear with sticks, fire and other arms and beat the animal to death inside the forest.
Later, forest and police officials rushed to the spot.
All the injured were being treated at the district headquarters hospital here and their condition was stated be critical.
Some villagers staged a dharna before the forest ranger's office at Kotpad seeking compensation for the families of the deceased.
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia to the next of king of each of those killed by the bear, according to the collctor.
The district administration has sought a tranquiliser team from Bhubaneswar to stay here for a week as officials suspect some more bear to be hiding inside the forest.
