Mapusa: Panic has gripped the coastal villages of Arambol and Paliem after repeated sightings of a full-grown wild bison in residential areas.The animal, which has been roaming through village roads day and night, has sparked fear among residents and tourists in the two villages.The concern intensified in Bhomwada, Paliem, when the bison allegedly attacked a car carrying a tourist family from Kerala. “The bison rammed the car, causing extensive damage, while the family, including two young children, screamed for help,” an eyewitness said.Villagers rushed to the spot, and the animal retreated into a nearby forest. “The animal behaves like stray cattle during the day,” said a resident of Deulwada, Paliem, where the bison was recently seen resting in the courtyard of local resident Dhondu Shetgaonkar.“It previously killed a cow belonging to Devanand Naik in Arambol. Now it is roaming right near our doorstep,” Shetgaonkar said.The sightings have heightened safety concerns among parents who accompany children to tuition classes and among commuters, including those travelling daily from neighbouring Maharashtra.
