9-year-old among two injured in wolf attack in UP's Bahraich

A 9-year-old boy among two was injured in separate incidents of attack by a wolf in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich, police said on Sunday.

The first incident took place in Pure Dildarsingh village on Saturday night when Paras (9) was sleeping outside his house and a wolf attacked him, Divisional Commissioner Shashibhushan Lal Shushil told PTI.

In another incident, in Dariakutti in Maikupur Gram Sabha around 4 am, Punnilal (55), who was sleeping outside, was also attacked by a wolf, Sushil said.

He said that villagers and the District Magistrate said that it was a wolf attack but the forest team is yet to verify.

Both the injured are undergoing treatment in hospital and their condition was stated to be out of danger.

Sushil said out of a pack of six wolves, four have already been captured by the forest team.

"Wolves are being tracked with the help of drones, by placing traps and cages near the den of wolves near Kulela village of Mahsi tehsil. Two wolves were seen in the thermal sensor camera on Saturday. But due to late night, the teams running "Operation Bhedia" could not catch them.

It is expected that the attacking animals will be caught in a day or two", he added.

Divisional Forest Officer Ajit Pratap Singh said that Operation Bhedia is underway in the district and wolves are changing their location which makes it difficult to capture them.

In the Mahsi tehsil of the district, wolf attacks on humans have been happening since March, Singh said.

The attacks increased from July 17 during the rainy season and seven people, including six children, died in the attacks and about 30 people were injured, he said.

A compensation of Rs 5 lakh each has been given to the families of the five deceased. The remaining two will receive the compensation once the investigation is completed," the official said.