Fear has gripped the rural communities of Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh after a three-year-old boy became the latest victim in a relentless series of wolf attacks. The tragic incident on Monday morning has intensified concerns as it marks at least the 13th human fatality in just three months, with children being the primary target.
Early Morning Horror in Rasoolpur Village
The victim, identified as Anshu (3), was attacked in the courtyard of his home in Rasoolpur Darehta village under the Fakharpur police station limits. According to officials from the police and forest department, the young boy was lying on a cot, drinking milk, while his mother, Nankai, performed household chores nearby. His father, Ram Manohar, works in Punjab, leaving the mother to care for their five children in the village.
In a sudden and brutal assault, a wolf entered the courtyard, seized the child by the neck, and fled into the dense fog. The mother raised an alarm and gave chase, joined swiftly by other family members and villagers armed with sticks. However, the animal vanished into the poor visibility.
Massive Search and Grim Discovery
A large-scale search operation involving villagers, police, and forest department teams was immediately launched. After nearly six hours, the child's body was recovered from nearby fields and bushes. Forest officials reported a harrowing detail: both of the child's legs were missing, indicating the wolf had mauled and partially consumed the body.
Forest Ranger Omkar Yadav stated that preliminary information suggested the wolf dragged the child towards sugarcane fields before disappearing. "Teams are monitoring the area and intensified patrolling has been ordered," Yadav said, highlighting the ongoing response.
A District Living in Fear
This latest killing has further heightened alarm across Bahraich, which has witnessed a terrifying spate of wolf attacks over the past four months. Official data reveals a shocking toll: at least 13 people, including 12 children, have been killed, and 42 others injured in this period alone.
The forest department's efforts to curb the menace include having killed six wolves, yet the attacks persist. Just four days prior to Monday's tragedy, a wolf attempted to abduct a two-year-old girl from Gullain Purwa village. The child was saved only after her father chased the animal, forcing it to abandon her about 100 meters from their house.
The fear is palpable, especially after two children were killed in separate attacks on November 29 within an eight-hour span in Kaiserganj and Khoriya Safik villages. Authorities have issued repeated advisories, urging residents not to leave children unattended, particularly during the early morning and late evening hours when these predators are most active.
The situation underscores a critical human-wildlife conflict, with heightened forest surveillance failing to stop the wave of violence. As rural Bahraich mourns another young life lost, the demand for a permanent and effective solution grows more urgent by the day.
