MANSEHRA: A brown bear attacked and seriously injured two farmers and killed several goats in the Hangrai area of Balakot on Friday.

“I was cutting grass in fields as usual when suddenly a brown bear appeared and attacked me, leaving me severely injured,” Liaqat Ali, one of the injured farmers, told reporters at a health facility.

Ali was rushed to King Abdullah Teaching Hospital, where doctors treated him in the emergency ward and later admitted him for constant medical care.

His condition was stated to be out of danger.

Mr Ali sustained serious injuries, with one of his arms bitten by the bear.

“The brown bears have been freely roaming in our village, but despite repeated complaints, the wildlife department has not taken action to restrict their movement to their natural habitats,” he said.

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He added that another farmer had also been injured and around half a dozen goats had been killed in the recent attacks.

“We have finalised the details of the bear attacks on local farmers and killing of livestock and dispatched the report to our higher authorities for compensation,” Danial Mughal, the sub-divisional wildlife officer, told reporters in Balakot.

He said the department was making efforts to ensure that wild animals, whose natural habitats were the dense forests, didn’t descend into populated areas.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2025