A pack of jackals prowling for food attacked villages in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, injuring at least 35 people, officials said on Thursday.The attack took place in Madhubani district, about 120 km (75 miles) north of the state capital, Patna, late on Wednesday.
"We are still trying to ascertain the number of jackals involved in the attack and the extent of injuries sustained by human beings," Mala Kumari, a government official said over the telephone from Madhubani.
Jackals have sometimes been seen roaming the streets in India as their forest habitat dwindles, but reports of attacks on humans are rare.
"We have not seen or heard anything like this in the last 12 years," Santosh Kumar, who saw the jackals attacking the villagers. "Some of them were badly bitten," he said.
It will be attributed to encroachment. Too many humans.