Bahraich: Amid a massive search operation in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich to catch a pack of wolves that has been terrorising the Mahsi tehsil of the district, two predators were caught on infrared drone cameras used by authorities to trace them. In the last month and a half, a pack of wolves on the prawl in Mehsil tehsil of Bahraich killed eight people, including seven children and a woman, with the latest attack taking place in a village on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.
#WATCH | Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh: Late-night infrared drone shots captured by forest team show the presence of two wolves.
Source: State Forest Department https://t.co/22mwZJs9f6 pic.twitter.com/31qgI5Uzac
— ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024
An official said the wolves attacked three children in a village on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday and by the time the response teams arrived, the animals had already moved on to another village, where they killed a five-year-old child.
#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: Wolves kill 8 people in Bahraich. Search operations are underway by locals and administration.
DFO Ajeet Pratap Singh says, “… Our drones have captured the movement of a wolve near the village. We have alerted our people in the village… We have… pic.twitter.com/hwdxFVeHzN
— ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024
Operation Bhediya: What forest officials doing to drive away killer wolves
To capture the wolves, the Uttar Pradesh government has launched ‘Operation Bhediya’. The forest department has been using drone cameras and thermal drone mapping techniques to catch the wolves. Permission to tranquilise the animals has been granted by the Chief Wildlife Warden, according to an official statement.
According to an official, 16 teams have been deployed to capture the wolves, and 12 district-level officers are also stationed in the district. Police, administration and local teams have also been conducting round-the-clock patrols.
The forest department has also been using elephant dung and urine to divert the wolves’ route when the attack occurred. “The dung is set afire to create a scent that simulates the presence of elephants. Wolves, which are pack hunters, tend to avoid large animals like elephants. By creating this illusion, we aim to push them away from inhabited areas. We have also set up traps with bait in remote areas,” news agency PTI quoted IFS officer, Akashdeep Badhawan, who is leading the special operation, as saying.
3 wolves captures, CM Adityanath monitoring search operation
So far, three wolves have been captured, according to officials. Badhawan said, “We identified six wolves using high-frequency drone cameras. Out of these, three have already been captured. Our primary goal is to ensure the safety of villagers by first driving the wolves away from residential areas.”
तहसील महसी क्षेत्र अन्तर्गत हिंसक वन्य जीव भेड़िया के हमलों पर प्रभावी अंकुश लगाने के उद्देश्य से डीएम मोनिका रानी ने ब्लाक सभागार महसी में ग्राम प्रधानों, सचिवों, कोटेदारों, रोजगार सेवकों व अन्य के साथ की बैठक। खुले में न सोने के लिए लोगों को जागरूक करने के दिये गये निर्देश। pic.twitter.com/vr2YLOVJLT
— DM BAHRAICH (@DMBahraich) August 27, 2024
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is closely monitoring ‘Operation Bhediya’ while Forest Minister Arun Saxena on Wednesday met the affected families in the district. During his visit to several villages, Saxena urged the people to avoid sleeping in the open at night, keep children indoors, and ensure that their doors are securely locked. He also advised them to go out in groups and carry sticks for protection.
