Wolf attacks continue in Bahraich, death toll touches 8

New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) A three-year-old child Anjali died and a 65-year-old woman was seriously injured in two separate incidents of attacks by wolves in Uttar Pradesh's (UP) Bahraich district in the wee hours of Monday.

At least eight children along with one woman have been killed and 50 people have been injured in repeated attacks by wolves in Bahraich district so far.

Despite the administration's claims of monitoring every inch of the area with special teams equipped with drones using unique technology and thermal imaging cameras, the cases of man-animal conflict are rising due to loss of habitat for wildlife and the wolves continue to attack local residents.

The 65-year-old woman was attacked by a wolf in the wee hours of Monday, resulting in severe injuries. She was transported to the medical college for treatment. The incident occurred at the Hardi police station in Mahsi, Bahraich.

The family members stated that the incident occurred when she had gone outside her house at night to answer nature’s call.

Suddenly a wolf that had been lurking unseen attacked her.

Doctors treating the elderly woman in the emergency department of the medical college, said that her condition was stable.

The fresh incident has raised concerns among residents regarding the UP administration’s ability to bring the situation under control and put an end to the man-animal conflict and the resultant terror caused by the wolves.

In another incident in Bahraich district's Mahsi area, a toddler was killed by a wolf. Three-year-old Anjali was sleeping with her mother when the wolf stealthily took her away.

When the mother realised a bit later that her child was missing, she began shouting for help, which woke the villagers.

They started searching for the girl, and after some time, her lifeless body was found in a nearby sugarcane field.

Continuous attacks by the wolves have caused panic among the villagers and they are demanding speedy capture of the wild animals.

An official said out of a pack of six wolves, four have already been captured by the forest department under 'Operation Bhediya'.

UP Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, has instructed authorities to take action against the frequent wolf and leopard attacks in certain areas of the state.

He emphasised the importance of capturing and controlling these animals while also raising public awareness about safety measures.

The Forest Minister has been tasked with deploying senior officers to districts affected by man-animal conflicts and increasing personnel in areas such as Bahraich, Sitapur, Lakhimpur, Pilibhit, and Bijnor.

Joint patrolling by all relevant departments will be increased, and arrangements for Petromax lighting will be made in rural areas facing light-related issues.