Daltonganj: Two women were killed and another injured in a bison (gaur) attack in a forest under Barwadeeh block in Latehar district on Monday, officials said on Tuesday. The deceased were identified as Shila Maniya Devi, 64, of Morwai Kala village, and Shanti Devi, 54, of Morwai Khurd.Injured Chhato Devi was admitted to Medinirai Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) in Daltonganj and her condition is stated to be stable.Barwadeeh range officer Ajay Toppo said the three women had gone to collect mahua fruits on Monday. “Chhato, who hailed from Lat village, had taken village dogs with her. When they came across four bison in the forest, the dogs began to bark incessantly due to which three of them dispersed but a male adult gaur attacked her,” he said.Officials said the bison later attacked the other two women at Teenphatiya. Shanti died of her injuries but her body was found on Tuesday. Shila didn’t suffer any major injury and returned home but died on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. “She must have sustained internal injury either in the gaur attack or while fleeing as she fell twice,” said a source quoting villagers.Field director of Palamu Tiger Reserve, S R Natesha, said, “We are probing the incident.”“Post-mortem examination was conducted in Sadar hospital in Latehar on Tuesday,” said officer in-charge of Barwadeeh police station, Anurag.Gaurs, whose population is less than 100, are mostly found in Betla National Park under PTR.
