A wild bear has been battered to death by villagers in east India after it mauled seven people, including a child. An official said the animal entered the village from a nearby forest early in the morning and attacked. The villagers reportedly panicked and killed the bear before forest officials arrived. The forest department has registered a criminal case, but no arrests have been made yet. Wildlife experts say a loss of natural habitat is the reason for the increasing bear and human contact in the area.