The district of Bahraich is in the grip of terror as man-eating wolves continue their deadly rampage, claiming yet another innocent life. In a tragic incident on Sunday night, a three-year-old girl was snatched away by a wolf while she slept beside her mother in Nauwan Garethi village, located in Mahsi tehsil.
The incident occurred around 1 a.m. The girl's mother, awakened by the commotion, screamed in horror and ran after the wolf, but it vanished into the darkness in the blink of an eye. A frantic search ensued, and two hours later, the lifeless body of the child was discovered a kilometer away from her home.
The gruesome sight left the mother unconscious—the wolf had devoured both of the child's hands.
Just three hours later, in Kotiya village, two kilometers from the first attack, another wolf struck. A woman sleeping in her verandah was attacked, and her screams alerted her family. They rushed to her aid, but the wolf had already inflicted severe injuries. The woman is currently in critical condition.
The growing frequency and ferocity of these attacks have left the community paralyzed with fear. In the past 48 days alone, wolves have killed seven children and one woman in Bahraich, bringing the death toll to 10. Additionally, more than 38 people have been injured in these attacks, many of whom are still recovering from their wounds.
Efforts to track and capture the wolves have so far been ineffective. Drones have been deployed, and cages set up, but the elusive predators continue to evade capture. The forest department's struggles are further compounded by their lack of precise data on the number of wolves in the area.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued a stern directive, stating that the wolves must be captured "at any cost." Despite these orders, the local administration and forest department have made little progress. Residents have largely confined themselves to their homes, moving in groups out of fear for their safety.
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Chief Minister convened another high-level meeting with Forest department officials on Monday to address the recent surge in incidents of human-wildlife conflict across several districts of Uttar Pradesh. He directed the Forest Minister and relevant department officials to take decisive action to prevent and monitor such incidents.
The CM also urged them to analyze the causes behind the increase in such conflicts to curb them effectively. Following his directives, several district magistrates swiftly mobilized teams, initiating combing operations in affected areas and launching public awareness campaigns in villages.
“The CM directed the administration, Police, Forest department, local panchayats, and Revenue departments in the affected districts to launch extensive public awareness campaigns and educate people on safety precautions,” government spokesman said in a statement.
