Jammu: At least 30 people were killed and 253 others injured in attacks by wild animals in the state over the past two years, the government said on Saturday.

Quoting a census conducted in March last year, the government said that the number of Hangul, also called the Kashmir stag, in Dachigam landscape in the outskirts of Srinagar, stands at 182 with an upper and lower limit of 214 and 138, respectively, Forest minister Choudhary Lal Singh informed the state Assembly.

He said, while 21 people were killed and 156 others injured in attacks by wild animals last year, only nine deaths were reported, with 97 others injured in such incidents this year.

Replying to a question by National Conference (NC) legislator Mubarak Gul, he said a compensation of Rs 83.70 lakh was given to the next of kin of the deceased persons, while Rs 1.05 crore was provided to those injured by wild animals.

He said the government has taken a number of steps to control the man-animal conflict, which include setting up of round-the-clock control rooms at strategic points.

The control rooms are equipped with tranquilising guns, medicines and capture nets, he said.

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