The rural communities of Mallahanpurwa and Jaruva in Bahraich district are living in a state of heightened fear and grief. This follows a fresh and deadly spate of wolf attacks that claimed the lives of three young children and left another injured within just one week in December 2025. The administration has been forced to implement urgent, ground-level safety measures to protect vulnerable residents.
A Village Gripped by Fear and Grief
The recent attacks have shattered the normal life of these villages under the Godhiya gram panchayat, which is home to nearly 5,000 people. The terror struck in the early hours of December 7, when a wolf entered a house in Mallahanpurwa and took a four-month-old infant. The child's mother, Kiran, recounted the horror, stating their house had no door, allowing the animal to snatch the baby while the family slept.
This tragedy came shortly after another on November 28, when a five-year-old boy was taken and killed by a wolf while playing outside his home in the same village. His grandfather, Vinay Kumar, expressed the community's new reality: "Fearing attacks, we now escort our children to and from school every day. We no longer allow them to play beyond the gate." The incidents signal a worrying shift in the conflict zone, reigniting fears in villages around the previously affected area of Manjhara Taukli.
Administration's Multi-Pronged Safety Response
Faced with this crisis, the district administration has launched a series of immediate interventions. Recognizing that many homes in the impoverished area are thatched structures without proper doors, a drive is underway to fit doors in these vulnerable houses. Streetlights are being installed on dark stretches around the villages to eliminate shadows where predators could lurk.
Perhaps the most critical step is the clearing of sugarcane fields that grow perilously close to homes. These dense crops have served as perfect escape routes and hiding spots for wolves after attacks. Bahraich Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Akhilesh Singh confirmed that cutting these crops is a top priority. The administration has even coordinated with sugarcane mill owners to expedite the process.
"We are continuously creating awareness among villagers and strengthening preventive measures," stated SDM Singh. Alongside these physical measures, joint patrols comprising villagers, Forest Department teams, and other officials are monitoring the area day and night.
A Persistent Problem and Forest Department Action
This is not an isolated crisis for Bahraich. Earlier in the year, from September to October 2025, wolf attacks left eight people dead and nearly 30 injured across several district villages, with six of the fatalities being children. The Forest Department had then culled four wolves believed responsible.
The recent attacks in Mallahanpurwa, about 11 km from the earlier epicenter, show the problem persists and has geographically shifted. Officials note the attacks appear to be happening within a 25-km radius in the district. Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Ram Singh Yadav reported that two wolves linked to the recent attacks were killed earlier in the week, and efforts are ongoing to trace and capture any remaining threats.
Villagers like Chandan Kumar Rajbhar, husband of the Mallahanpurwa village pradhan, are perplexed. Initially, they thought wolves were straying into residential areas because their riverbank habitat was flooded. "But even after the water levels receded, the animal attacks continued," he said. For now, the communities of Kaiserganj tehsil remain on edge, hoping the combined efforts of door installations, lighting, crop clearing, and vigilant patrols will finally bring an end to the deadly attacks.
