Hyena goes berserk, attacks 45 villagers, stoned

Villagers of Eguvakukkalapalli in Chittoor District on Wednesday managed to corner a hyena and stone it to death after a wild animal attack had left 45 villagers injured. 

The 45 villagers of three villages of Pedatippasamudram mandal injured were injured on Tuesday night, but the darkness had led to doubts about numbers of the attacking animals. 

According to sources, the villagers had already lodged a complaint following the hyena attack with the forest department. 

All the seriously injured villagers have been shifted to Kadiri and Tirupati hospitals. The victims’ condition is stated to be out of danger, according to hospital sources. 

The irate villagers, who are on the search for the wild animal, stoned a hyena when they found it at Eguvakukkalapalli.

Earlier, Forest Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy directed the Forest Department officials to hunt down the hyenas immediately, which attacked people in 8 villages in Chittoor District.

Talking to reporters after enquiring about the health of people, who were attacked by hyena in villages, he said that shoot at sight orders had been issued to forest department to safeguard the health of the villagers and prevent further hyena attacks. 

The schools in Molakalacheruvu and Peddatippasamudram have also declared a holiday fearing further attacks on students.