Following the death of eight people and injuries to at least 15 others in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich, the district forest department launched “Operation Bhediya” to capture the pack of wolves responsible for these attacks. So far, four wolves have been caught, and officials have indicated that two are still at large, with efforts underway to capture them as well. On Thursday, forest officials captured one wolf and transferred it to a shelter home.
“For a long time there was the terror of wolves here... Today we have caught a wolf... We will transfer it to the zoo... So far 4 wolves have been caught. There are 2 wolves left, preparations are being made to catch them,” Renu Singh (Chief Forest Conservator Central Zone) was quoted as saying by ANI.
A video shared by the news agency ANI and sourced from the Bahraich forest department showed the captured wolf being transferred to the shelter home.
‘Operation Bhediya’
{{/usCountry}}A video shared by the news agency ANI and sourced from the Bahraich forest department showed the captured wolf being transferred to the shelter home.
‘Operation Bhediya’
{{/usCountry}}Under “Operation Bhediya”, the Bahraich forest department deployed drone cameras and thermal mapping technology to track and capture the wolves. As per an official statement, chief minister Yogi Adityanath is closely overseeing the operation, while forest minister Arun Saxena visited the affected district on Wednesday to meet with the families of the victims. During his visit to several villages, Saxena assured residents that the Forest Department was trying to capture the wolves and ensure public safety.
“The district administration has provided an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh each to the kin of four deceased individuals. Payments to the families of the remaining victims will be processed soon,” the statement said.
The minister assured that the department is on high alert and is doing everything possible to capture the remaining wolves. He advised people to avoid sleeping outdoors at night, keep children inside, and securely lock their doors. Additionally, he recommended that residents move in groups and carry sticks for protection when going outside.
On Wednesday night, a Bahraich police official said, “Drones, nets, and cages are being used to catch the wolves. We are continuously trying to catch the wolves... We are ensuring that no untoward incident takes place anywhere... 8 people have lost their lives and 15 others are injured.”
Although four wolves have been captured so far, an official quoted by PTI on Wednesday mentioned that the exact number of wolves in the area is still uncertain.
Principal chief forest conservator (Wildlife) Sanjay Srivastava said, "We have deployed 16 teams to capture the wolves, and 12 district-level officers are also stationed here. Additional principal chief forest Conservator Renu Singh will remain on-site until the remaining wolves are captured."
According to an official statement, the Chief Wildlife Warden has granted permission to tranquillize the wolves. District Magistrate Monika Rani said doors are being installed in homes that lack them, and night patrols are being conducted in all villages. She added that ASHA workers have been tasked with raising awareness among residents.
Officials noted that in a series of attacks over the past 45 days, six children and a woman were among the eight people killed by a pack of wolves in various villages of Mehsi tehsil.
(With ANI, PTI inputs)