Bahraich: "Operation Bhediya": Locals blame administration negligence after 3-year old girl killed by wolf

Bahraich: As officials continued the ‘Operation Bhediya’ in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich to catch the remaining two wolves, a three-year old girl was killed and two other women were injured in another wolf attack, spreading anger among the locals, who blamed that the administration for showing negligience in their work.

The Mahasi Civil Health Centre Incharge said, "A three-year-old girl killed and two other women were injured in a wolf attack late last night."

DFO Bahraich, Ajit Pratap Singh is currently on the spot and conducting a search operation in Thalia village to catch the wolf.

The mother of the deceased child told ANI that the incident happened at 03:35 am on Monday.

"This incident happened at 03:35 in the morning. When my 6-month-old girl got up in the middle of the night, I saw that my daughter was not there. Both the hands of my child have been bitten by the wolf. We work as labourers all day and raise the children. We ran after that him but it escaped. We are poor so we are not able to get doors installed in the housem," she said.

Her neighbour said that they had spotted the wolf many times, but whenever they called the forest department, they ask for video proof.

"We were awake. When he (wolf) first came to our house, we thought it was a dog, so we shouted and chased it away. Afterwards, I saw that it ran towards field, so I shouted and asked if anyone's child was missing. Then they said that their daughter is missing. We surrounded it in the field the day before yesterday and when we called the forest department, they asked us for the video. Where do we get the video from? We are repeatedly complaining that we have seen the wolf. By the time we take out the mobile, it disappears," he said.

Bahraich DM, Monika Rani said that the authorities were having troubl catching the wolf as it was consistently changing its habitat. 

"The biggest problem in this campaign is that every time a new village is being selected. The Wolf changes his activity every 5-6 days. The Forest Department is trying its best," she said.

A local in Thalia village also said that they have shown the footprints of the animal, but the administration is not taking any action.

"They are saying that we are watching through drones. We have made a video but the administration is just sitting," he said.

Another local alleged that the administration came after 1.5 hours and that there was no system at all to enusre the villagers security.

District Magistrate Monika Rani requested the people to stay indoors and to be alert.

“We have caught 4 wolves; 2 are left. Our team is continuously patrolling; we are trying our best to catch them as soon as possible. I request people to sleep indoors. A 2.5-year-old child has been attacked by a wolf. I request the people here to be alert,” Bahraich DM said.

Earlier on Sunday, Chief Forest Conservator (central zone) Renu Singh took stock of the 'Operation Bhediya. Speaking to ANI, Renu Singh said that drones are being flown continuously and further added that four wolves were caught and two are still left.

"Drones are being flown continuously. Four wolves have been caught until now, and two are still left. Our teams are continuously patrolling, and we are trying to catch them as soon as possible," Singh said.

Earlier on Sunday, officials said that they have detected the presence of two wolves through drones and will capture them soon. 

Abhishek Singh, CO Forest, Bahraich Division told ANI, "Our whole team is going to be here in the guidance of DFO. We detected the presence of wolves through drones. Both wolves have been traced in this area. We will capture it."

The forest department team has laid traps at Sisayya Chudaamani village from where the fourth wolf was captured. In the wake of recent wolf attack incidents, the forest department is bursting firecrackers at night to protect the villagers from wolves.