Eight people, including women, have been injured by jackal bites in a single day in two upazilas of Rajshahi, spreading fear of jackals in the area.

The attacks took place between 3pm and 7pm on Tuesday (28 January) in North Tekatapara of Borogachhi union in Paba upazila, and in Sukhandighi, Brahmapur and Daokandi villages of Joynagar union in Durgapur upazila. The injured were rescued and admitted to Rajshahi Medical College (RMC) Hospital.

The injured are Mojjafor Ali (60), Abdul Mannan (45) and Machhifa Bibi (50) of Tekatapara in Paba; Zahidul Islam (35) of Sukhandighi village, Jonab Ali (65) of Brahmapur village, and Mobarak Ali (52), Mojjafor Hossain (70) and Majeda Begum (50) of Daokandi village in Durgapur.

Ujjal Hossain of Tekatapara village said: "On Tuesday afternoon a jackal attacked as I was returning home after spraying pesticide on a potato field. I saved myself by throwing the bucket I was carrying at it. But three others from my village were attacked while grazing goats at Bherapora beel. They have wounds on various parts of their bodies."

Ali of Brahmapur village, who was bitten, said he was walking from his home through a fruit orchard when a jackal suddenly bit his leg.

Rustam Ali, son of Mojjafor Hossain of Daokandi village, said his father was walking along the road when a jackal suddenly came and bit him, causing serious wounds.

On first aid for the victims, Dr Mohammad Ruhul Amin, chief health officer of the Durgapur Upazila Health Complex, said they had been told to wash the wounds thoroughly with soap and water first, after which the vaccine must be given.

To avoid jackal bites, he advised people to keep bushes near their homes cleared and to avoid those areas after dusk.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.