Mussoorie, Nov. 13 -- Panic has spread across several parts of Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts after bear attacks left three people injured in recent weeks, one of them critically. The increasing movement of wild bears into residential areas has sparked fear among villagers, who have urged the forest department to capture the animals before further casualties occur. According to officials, the situation has been particularly tense in the Gauchar municipal region of Chamoli district and parts of Rudraprayag, where wild bears have been spotted near human settlements over the past few weeks. In one of the most recent incidents in Chamoli's Gopeshwar area, a couple from Dumak village was attacked by a bear on October 16. The husband, Sundar Singh (37), succumbed to his injuries, while his wife Leela Devi (30) sustained grievous wounds. In separate incidents last month, Manvendra Jhinkwan (40) from Siroh village and Sankari Devi from Chaumasi village were also injured in bear attacks, officials said. Forest department officials said Quick Response Teams (QRTs) are patrolling affected areas and monitoring bear activity. They are also conducting awareness drives to educate villagers on safety measures and emergency response during bear encounters. "Bears have been sighted in several forest ranges. Villagers are being advised not to panic and to immediately inform forest authorities if a bear is seen near their area," said Hemant Singh Bisht, Range Officer, Badrinath Forest Range. He added that bears, despite their threat to humans, play an important ecological role as "engineers of the environment," aiding in seed dispersal and maintaining forest balance. Forest officials and wildlife experts say the spike in bear sightings and attacks is linked to natural food shortages during what is known as a "bad seed year" , when forest trees produce fewer nuts, acorns, and fruits. "The frequency of bear sightings near human settlements depends on the forest's annual seed production," said Sarvesh Dubey, DFO, Chamoli....