At least 20 people of six villages were injured as fishing cats, entering localities in search of food, attacked human beings in the areas under Dinajpur Sadar upazila.
"The people of Sahapara village noticed four fishing cats in the area on Thursday. They sneaked in localities and took away many domestic birds and animals including hens, ducks and sheep," Gulzar Ali, a member of Awliapur union of Dinajpur Sadar.
"As villagers started guarding at night to save their domestic animals, the fishing cats started attacking the villagers in paddy fields in broad daylight," said Sabina Yasmin, another ward member.
Villagers have stopped going to paddy fields and started guarding their areas with sticks, said Gulzar Ali.
The 20 victims, including seriously injured Nur Jahan, Rubina Khatun, Jesmin Akter, Sonia Akter, Sohrab Ali, Hasim Uddin and Md Babu, took treatment at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital and Dinajpur General Hospital.
They are from Karimullahpur, Sahapara, Mashimpur, Tarimpur, Chowliapur and Hariharpur villages.