Imagine being locked up inside your house, doors firmly bolted, and wild animals roaming free on the other side.
This movie-like theme became a reality in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit district where farmers were confined to their homes while tigers, elephants and bears had a stroll in the fields.
Wild animals are coming out of forests and often straying into residential areas and crowded public places.
Recently, a bear walked out of the forest and reached a railway station in Pilibhit. Terrified people started running for their lives, looking for a safe place, almost causing a stampede. The forest department team reached the spot and caught and caged the bear.
Around 40 km away, in Puranpur, farmers are afraid of going to the fields as tigers are often seen there. In another instance, a herd of elephants destroyed crops in a vast field by trampling on them for several days. As a result, the farmers have incurred huge losses.
- With inputs from Haripal Singh
