Overview
- State guidelines for the pre-hibernation period instruct teams to attempt cage capture, then veterinarian-led tranquillisation, with lethal removal permitted only if both fail within a set 15-day window.
- Forest units have begun hotspot mapping and stepped-up patrols and now carry tranquillisation kits, protective gear and rescue cages, with sedation restricted to authorised veterinarians.
- At least five people have been killed in bear attacks this year, the highest annual toll since 2016, with scores injured and more than 45 cattle reported killed in parts of Pauri district.
- Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered free treatment for those injured in wildlife attacks and doubled death compensation to ₹10 lakh, citing the need for faster, better care.
- In one recent case, a woman attacked in Chamoli was airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh with severe injuries, underscoring the urgency facing remote mountain communities.