3 injured in wolf attacks in UP's Bahraich

Bahraich (UP), Oct 15 (PTI) Two children and an adult were injured on Wednesday in wolf attacks in Kaisarganj tehsil here, forest officials said.

One of the incidents occurred around 5 am in Thagpurwa village, where a 35-year-old Anju Devi was attacked by a wolf while she was sleeping in her thatched hut, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Ram Singh Yadav said.

Anju Devi was taken to a nearby government hospital for treatment.

Around 9 am, in Kodainpurwa village under Majhara Taukli gram panchayat, four-year-old Radhika Yadav was also attacked and injured by a wolf.

In the third incident, seven-year-old Kishan was mauled outside his house in Sainpurwa village around noon, the DFO said, adding, all the injured are undergoing treatment.

The officer said that the forest department has divided the wolf-affected Kaisarganj and Mahsi tehsils into six sectors and launched a large-scale rescue operation roping in experts through a divisional command centre.

Twenty-one task forces and around three dozen teams of the district administration are involved in the operation.

Six drone cameras, 25 camera traps, 20 solar-powered CCTV cameras, and four trapping cages have been placed at sensitive locations to capture the wolves.

Two veterinary teams equipped with tranquilising guns are also on standby to sedate the animal.

Continuous patrol and public awareness drives are being carried out, and villagers have been advised to stay vigilant and avoid venturing out alone, especially at night, DFO said.

Since September 9, six people, four of them children, have been killed in wolf attacks in the Kaisarganj and Mahsi areas, while around 35 others have been injured.

An isolation ward has been set up at the Bahraich district hospital for the treatment of the injured.

Villagers have started erecting makeshift fences around their homes to fend off wolf attacks.

Many are keeping night vigils in groups, armed with torches and sticks, while children are skipping school out of fear.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducted an aerial survey of the area on September 27 and directed officials to capture the wolf alive or shoot it, if necessary.

On September 28, departmental shooters killed one wolf.

The government has announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. PTI COR ABN VN VN