UP Forest Department shoots dead male leopard in Bahraich

Bahraich (UP), Jan 1 (PTI) A male wolf was shot dead by the forest department's rescue team on Thursday evening in a village under the Kaiserganj forest range here, officials said.

This marks the ninth wolf killed in the area since September 27, following a visit by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who had directed authorities to either capture the wolves safely or shoot them if capture failed.

In an official statement issued by the Bahraich Forest Division on Thursday evening, it said that "around 5 PM on January 1, patrol teams under the Kaiserganj range carried out a rescue operation in Bhirgupurwa village”.

“When the operation did not succeed in capturing the animal, it was shot. The wolf was found dead and its carcass has been brought to the Bahraich Forest Division office, where a veterinary panel will conduct a post-mortem on Friday," the statement said.

The wolf command centre of the forest department has been set up in Bhirgupurwa village.

Forest Range Officer Omkar Nath Yadav said the wolf shot by the department's shooters is male, and its age will be determined after the post-mortem.

Wolves have been attacking villages in Bahraich district since September 9, resulting in 12 human fatalities and injuries to 32 others.

Following the attacks, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducted an aerial survey of the area on September 27 and instructed the forest department to take strict measures. Experts and sharpshooters from other districts and states were brought in, and the first wolf was shot on September 28.

Due to continued attacks, the Divisional Forest Officer of the area, Ram Singh Yadav, was transferred to the state headquarters on Tuesday. PTI COR CDN OZ OZ