A 58-year-old resident of Mainaguri block of Jalpaiguri was attacked by a rhino on Sunday afternoon when he took out his cattle for grazing near the Jaldhaka river inside a reserve forest area.

Victim Kalatu Roy, who lives in the Officepatty area of Ramsai, is under treatment at the Jalpaiguri super-specialty hospital.

His condition is critical, doctors treating him said.

Sources said Roy reached Naukabihar near the Jaldhaka river with his cattle in the afternoon. While he was herding the cattle, the rhino attacked him.

Some women, who were collecting firewood in the area, spotted Roy lying on the ground, severely injured.

The women raised an alert.

Some others took him to the rural hospital in Mainaguri. Later, he was shifted to the super-specialty hospital here for better treatment.

Dwijapratim Sen, the divisional forest officer of the Gorumara wildlife division, said the incident had occurred inside the reserve forest area.

“No one can enter the forest area, which is also a rhino habitat, without permission," Sen said.

"We are monitoring the movement of rhinos in the area. It is unfortunate that despite repeated alerts, a section of people from nearby human habitats enter the reserve forest areas either for cattle grazing or to collect firewood even while risking their lives,” said the divisional forest officer.