Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said shoot-at-sight orders should be the last resort amid a growing number of wolf attacks in the Bahraich district.
The most recent attack occurred on Monday night when a five-year-old girl was mauled by a wolf while sleeping next to her grandmother at their home. Quick action by the girl’s family and neighbors managed to save her life, though the wolf escaped.
Kalim, one of the neighbors of the girl child, told ANI it was the first time a wolf came to their village.
The girl is currently receiving treatment at the Community Health Center (CHC) in Mahasi, where two others injured in the attack are also being cared for.
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Dr Ashish Verma, Superintendent of the Mahasi CHC, confirmed that a total of 34 people have been injured in these attacks.
“All have been treated, while two of them were referred to the District Hospital in Bahraich. Both are in stable condition,” he said.
Dr Verma also assured that the CHC is well-equipped to handle such emergencies, with adequate supplies of Anti-Rabies Vaccines (ARVs) and Anti-Snake Venom (ASV) provided on the orders of the Chief Minister’s Office.
A total of 10 people, mostly children, have died in wolf attacks since March 18. Among the deceased, nine are children below eight years of age and a woman aged 55 years.
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The Uttar Pradesh Police and the Forest Department have launched ‘Operation Bhediya’ to track down the wolves responsible for the attacks. Four wolves have already been captured, but the search continues for two more believed to be part of the same pack. The area has been divided into seven zones, each monitored by specialized teams comprising both forest and police personnel.
“Every gram panchayat is also given a police team. Surely, we will be successful soon,” said KS Pratap Kumar, ADG of the Gorakhpur Zone.
Just a day before the latest attack, a three-year-old girl was killed and two women were injured in a similar incident.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered senior forest officials to camp in the affected districts and oversee rescue operations personally.
During the review meeting, the chief minister stressed that shooting the animals should be a last resort, to be considered only if rescue efforts fail. “Coordination among forest, police, local administration, local panchayat, and revenue departments should be ensured, and people should be made aware of the incidents and steps for their own safety,” Adityanath said.
The CM also ordered an analysis of the underlying causes of the increased man-animal conflict. Forest minister and senior officials joined the meeting via video conference from various districts, including Bahraich, Lakhimpur Kheri, Moradabad, and Pilibhit.
