Uttarakhand woman seriously injured in bear attack
In Chamoli, Uttarakhand, Rameshwari Devi lost her left eye and partially lost vision in her right eye after a bear attacked her while she was collecting grass.
She wasn't found for almost a day and had to be airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh for treatment.
Bear attacks are rising—and climate change is part of the problem
Bear attacks in Uttarakhand have become more common, with 71 deaths and over 2,000 injuries since 2000.
This year alone saw seven fatalities—the highest ever.
Experts say late snowfall and warmer winters are messing with bears' hibernation, making them stay active longer and wander closer to villages looking for food.
Villagers' lives turned upside down
With more bears around, villagers are changing their routines—avoiding going out after dark, women skipping fieldwork alone, and kids missing school out of fear.
Survivors often face serious injuries and lasting trauma because bears tend to target the head and face.