At least 30 people, including women and children, were injured in jackal attacks over the past three days at several villages of Haroa block in North 24-Parganas, prompting the panchayat authorities to seek the help of the district administration.

Local sources said people residing at Piyara, Adampur, Aatghara, Digherhaat, and some other places in the Haroa block had been spending sleepless nights for the past two days fearing attacks by the jackal. The first attack took place over a week ago at Piyara but since Wednesday, there have been 30 incidents of attacks on villagers.

At least 15 persons have been admitted to Haroa block hospital with serious injuries.

One of the seriously injured villagers has lost a finger in the attack. Those with minor injuries have been released after primary treatment and vaccination.

A doctor at Haroa block hospital said: “Most of the victims suffered bite injuries in their feet and arms. Condition of a few elderly women is serious.”

Though none of the villagers has seen more than one jackal at a time, they claim that a pack is roaming the area. As help from the forest department is yet to arrive, the panicked villagers have formed groups and are combing the villages armed with bamboo sticks.

Trinamul block president, Haroa, Shafiq Ahmed, said: “The administration has been informed but we don’t know why no one from the forest department has turned up so far.”

An officer in the state wildlife department, Basirhat Division, told The Telegraph: “There seems to be some communication gap as we do not have any information about the incident. From what we hear from you, it seems a lone jackal is involved in the incidents. Such behaviour is unusual of Asiatic jackals. It is most likely that the jackal is suffering from some disease or has physical ailment. We will soon send a team to the affected areas.”

Haroa resident Sheikh Abdullah said: “We are living in panic. Jackals are entering our homes even during the day and attacking villagers. The animals are going for the throat of the victim and when resisted, they are trying to bite off the palm.”

Rokeya Biwi, a villager who survived a jackal attack, said: “Today (Friday) I was sitting in the courtyard of my home when a jackal attacked me from behind. It tried to bite off my toe and released its hold on my foot when neighbours rushed in and started beating it with sticks.”

A wildlife department official said jackals generally found in the Gangetic or riverine areas belong to the species of Asiatic jackals. They are also known as golden jackals and survive on fish, crabs, and wild birds.