U'khand: CM Dhami speaks to student injured in bear attack in Chamoli school

Dehradun, Dec 23 (PTI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday spoke to a student who was injured in a bear attack at a school in Chamoli district and inquired about his well-being.

Over a call, Dhami asked about the well being of Aarav Pundir, a sixth-grade student of the Junior High School in Harishankar village of Pokhri tehsil, on Monday and wished him a speedy recovery.

A wild bear and her cub entered the school on Monday at around 9.30 am. The cub attacked Aarav, who sustained minor injuries. The animals were chased away after teachers raised a loud alarm.

Dhami also spoke to Aarav's grandmother, who was with him, and said that the state government stands firmly with the affected family in this difficult time.

He also spoke to the brave girl students, Divya and Deepika, who displayed immense courage, presence of mind, and humanitarian sensitivity during the incident and saved the children from the bear.

The CM praised the bravery of the students and said that the courage, patience, and responsibility they displayed at such a young age is a matter of pride and inspiration for the entire state.

Dhami encouraged the students and wished them a bright future, saying that the state government will always encourage such brave children.

He also directed the officials to provide proper medical facilities to the injured Aarav and provide all possible assistance to the affected family.

He asked the district administration and forest department officials to immediately increase patrolling in the affected areas and ensure additional robust security arrangements around schools, Anganwadis, and populated areas.

The chief minister clarified that all necessary and effective steps should be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.

Dhami reiterated that the safety of all citizens, including children, is the top priority of the state government and it will carry out this task with complete commitment and strictness in all circumstances.

Meanwhile, a day after the incident in Pokhari, a student of a government girls' inter college in Gopeshwar, the district headquarters of Chamoli, fainted and fell, sustaining injuries, after spotting a bear on her way to school on Tuesday.

The school principal, Lalit Bisht, said the incident occurred at 10.15 am, about 50 meters away from the school, when the student was coming from her village, Gangol.

Bisht said that another student informed them about the injured girl, after which she was taken to the hospital for treatment.

The school is located near a forest area where leopards and bears are frequently sighted.

The officials said that a team from the forest department is patrolling the area following the incident. PTI DPT NB