A brother and sister have been killed by a bear in Chhattisgarh, India, after the animal attacked all three siblings while they worked in a field, with their younger sister left seriously injured after desperately trying to save them.
A brother and sister have been mauled to death by a bear in India, with a third sibling seriously injured as she tried to save them during the attack. Chamrin Jurri, 40, and Halalkhor Jurri, 38, were killed when the animal pounced on all three siblings as they worked in a field in Largaon Markatola village, in the Narharpur forest range of Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, on Wednesday morning. Their younger sister, Khorin Bai, 30, suffered severe injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment. Forest officials believe the bear had been prowling the village for several days after one of her cubs was recently found dead nearby.
What happened during the attack
According to officials, all three siblings were working together in an agricultural field close to the forest when the bear attacked. Chamrin and Halalkhor were pronounced dead at the scene, while the bear was reportedly seen continuing to walk around their bodies for some time afterwards, preventing rescuers from reaching them.
Villagers rushed to the scene after hearing the screams of the surviving sister and attempted to drive the bear away by shouting and throwing sticks. Forest Department staff and police officers subsequently worked to move the animal so that the bodies could be recovered and the injured woman rescued.
Kanker police chief Asharam Netam described the difficulty of the operation, saying: “The bear was found standing its ground; it refused to move away. The injured woman was rushed to Komaldev Hospital, but since her condition was critical and she was referred to Raipur for advanced treatment. All possible assistance will be provided to the deceased’s family.” Khorin Bai was later transferred to a hospital in Raipur for specialist treatment because of the severity of her injuries.
Bear tranquilised after prolonged effort
The mother bear reportedly continued reacting aggressively throughout the rescue effort, eventually requiring Forest Department teams to tranquilise her after attempts to scare her away failed. Officials described the operation to remove both the victims’ bodies and the sedated bear from the scene as difficult and drawn out.
Authorities have since told villagers to stay away from the area as a precaution while the situation is brought fully under control, and wildlife officials continue to monitor whether the bear poses any ongoing risk.
Warnings had been raised before the attack
Forest officials believe the bear, a female, may have become unusually aggressive after losing one of her cubs shortly before the attack, potentially heightening her instinct to protect her territory. Former village head Annapurna Thakur said residents had previously warned officials that the bear posed a danger, following several sightings in the village after the cub’s death.
A local teacher, named as Ranjana, raised similar concerns, saying: “The bear was extremely agitated due to her cub’s death. The lack of a boundary wall around the school creates a constant threat.”
A wider pattern of human-bear conflict
Largaon Markatola sits in a forested part of Chhattisgarh where encounters between people and sloth bears, a species native to India, are relatively common. Sloth bears are considered among the country’s most dangerous wild animals for humans, as they can react aggressively when surprised or when defending their cubs.
Human-bear conflict has increased in parts of central India in recent years, as expanding villages and farming activity bring communities into closer contact with forest habitats. Chhattisgarh in particular has recorded numerous fatal bear attacks, with wildlife experts repeatedly calling for improved conflict-mitigation measures in villages bordering forest land.
Officials have said the families of those killed will receive government assistance and compensation in line with state policy covering fatal wildlife attacks.
