Chamoli, Uttarakhand | September 5, 2026
Two women have died following a bear attack in a remote village of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, triggering fear among local residents and renewing concerns over escalating human-wildlife conflict in the Himalayan state.
Sisters-in-law attacked near forest
The incident occurred at Sideli Tok in Nail gram panchayat, under the Pokhari development block. The victims were identified as Laxmi Devi, 42, wife of Gajendra Negi, and Vimla Devi, 55, wife of Chandrashekhar Singh. The two women were sisters-in-law.
According to preliminary accounts, they had gone towards a forested area when a bear suddenly attacked them. The women attempted to escape towards a steep and rocky slope.
One woman falls from cliff
While fleeing, Vimla Devi reportedly lost her footing and plunged down a cliff. She suffered critical injuries and died at the spot.
Laxmi Devi was also grievously injured during the encounter. Hearing cries for help, villagers rushed to the area and managed to rescue her from the difficult terrain.
She was taken to the Community Health Centre at Pokhari. Because of the severity of her injuries, doctors referred her to a higher medical facility, but she died while being taken towards Srinagar for further treatment.
Forest Department begins investigation
Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar confirmed both deaths. Teams from the district administration and Forest Department were sent to the area to collect information and examine the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Forest personnel were also tasked with inspecting the site and attempting to trace the bear’s movements.
Villagers demand capture of bear
The deaths have caused considerable anxiety in the surrounding villages, where residents have reported frequent bear sightings close to settlements.
Villagers have demanded that the Forest Department capture the bear and intensify patrolling around inhabited areas.
The threat is particularly serious for people who depend on forests for everyday needs. Women in Himalayan villages frequently enter forest areas to collect fodder and firewood, potentially increasing their exposure to encounters with wildlife.
Human-wildlife conflict growing in Uttarakhand
The Chamoli deaths come amid mounting concern over human-wildlife conflict across Uttarakhand.
A recent study cited by The New Indian Express recorded 954 human deaths in wildlife encounters between 2000 and 2025, with 438 of those fatalities occurring between 2020 and 2025. Bears accounted for 70 deaths and 2,013 injuries over the broader study period, with bear-related attacks reported to have risen noticeably in recent years, particularly in the middle Himalayan region.
The latest tragedy underlines the challenge facing Uttarakhand: protecting people living and working along forest edges while conserving bears and other wildlife that share the Himalayan landscape.
Source credit: Based primarily on reporting by Narendra Sethi for The New Indian Express, published September 4, 2026.
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