India, Dec. 19 -- A 43-year-old woman was injured after a bear attacked her while she was collecting fodder in her agricultural field in the Doiwala-Jolly Grant area of Uttarakhand's Dehradun district on Thursday, forest officials said.

Forest department officials said the woman, Sushila Bhandari, was caught off guard when the bear suddenly emerged and pounced on her.

Following the incident, forest officials intensified vigilance and patrolling across the Doiwala, Dehradun and Rishikesh ranges.

"This is a rare instance of a bear being spotted and attacking a human in this area. Villagers are fearful and are avoiding moving alone. We have been assured by forest officials that adequate steps will be taken to safeguard residents of Gadool...