The Uttar Pradesh government has taken decisive action in response to the escalating human-wildlife conflict in Bahraich, where a series of tragic attacks has claimed multiple lives, primarily children. In a significant administrative reshuffle, the state has transferred the divisional forest officer (DFO) of Bahraich, Ram Singh Yadav, and appointed Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Sundaresha in his place.
A Crisis Demanding Immediate Action
This transfer comes against a grim backdrop. Over the past three months, the rural pockets of Bahraich district have been gripped by fear due to repeated attacks by wolves and leopards. The situation reached a critical point with officials confirming that 13 people, including 12 children, lost their lives in wolf attacks alone. In the same period, leopard incidents reportedly killed three more individuals and left at least twelve people injured.
Forest department teams have been engaged in intense operations to control the situation. Their efforts led to the rescue of two leopards. However, to prevent further loss of human life, eight wolves were eliminated in encounters. Despite these measures, the severity and persistence of the attacks indicated that the crisis was far from contained, prompting a high-level reassessment of the district's forest leadership.
Leadership Change: A New Strategy for Bahraich
Ram Singh Yadav, who was specifically posted to Bahraich in July 2025 with the mandate to manage the escalating wildlife attacks, has now been attached to the state headquarters. He had previously served in a similar role in the Kaushambi forest range.
Stepping into this challenging role is Sundaresha, an IFS officer of the 2013 batch. He has been relieved from his current posting as the DFO of Etah and directed to assume charge in Bahraich at the earliest. The appointment is viewed within government circles as a strategic move to bolster on-ground response, improve coordination, and implement long-term mitigation strategies.
Experience in the Field
Sundaresha is not new to the complexities of forest management in Uttar Pradesh. He brings extensive field experience in forest administration and conservation. During his career, he has held key postings as DFO in districts including Etah, Auraiya, and Kheri. He is widely regarded within the forest department for his dedicated work related to forest management and wildlife protection.
Government sources indicate that his proven track record and hands-on approach were crucial factors in his selection for one of the state's most sensitive forest divisions, where human-wildlife conflict has become a dire public safety issue. The administration expects his expertise to bring a more effective and sustained solution to the ongoing crisis in Bahraich.
