Wolf that spelt terror in Bahraich villages shot dead
“We tracked the animal and spotted it around 4 am. It was chased for roughly a kilometre across sandy terrain. When attempts to capture it failed, the team shot the wolf with a 12-bore gun. It was found to be a male,” Bahraich forest officer Ajit Pratap Singh said.
A wolf that had been terrorising Majhara Taukli and adjoining villages under the Kaiserganj forest range under Bahraich division was shot dead by a forest department team around 4 am on Thursday. The animal ran a short distance after being struck by the bullet during the operation in Bhrigupurwa hamlet of Majhara Taukli and then collapsed, officials confirmed.
The operation was led by former Bahraich forest officer Ajit Pratap Singh, currently posted in Ghazipur. Singh said five others played key roles in the mission — forest watcher Rafiq, drone operators Soham Dutta and Mohti, and local villagers Hira and Mulla, who acted as guides.
“We tracked the animal and spotted it around 4 am,” Singh said. “It was chased for roughly a kilometre across sandy terrain. When attempts to capture it failed, the team shot the wolf with a 12-bore gun. It was found to be a male,” he added.
Veterinary doctor Deepak Verma, who conducted an autopsy, said the animal was aged around five years and was not suffering from any infection. “The viscera sample of the wolf has been sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly for further investigation,” he added.
Meanwhile, the department has maintained heightened patrols, drone surveillance, and community outreach to prevent further incidents.
The killing comes amid a string of deadly attacks that left the region reeling. Last year, wolf attacks in the Mahsi area reportedly killed 10 people, including nine children, and injured dozens. Over the past month alone, local officials report six fatalities -- four of them children -- and roughly 30 injuries from wolf attacks under Kaiserganj area in Bahraich.
Last year, the state government had launched ‘Operation Wolf’, under which DFO Ajit Pratap Singh and his team captured five wolves, and villagers in Tamachpur killed another. As attacks surged again, the government recalled expert tracker Ajit Pratap Singh from Ghazipur to bolster efforts in Bahraich.
Singh also led the operation that shot a wolf on September 28. With Thursday’s killing, the forest department has now shot two wolves in the area this season.
Deep Narayan, the village head representative of Majhara Taukli, said residents were relieved and hopeful the killings would end the spate of attacks. “People, especially children and the elderly, have been living in fear. We hope this brings peace back to our villages,” he said.
On September 27, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had visited the affected areas in Bahraich and met families of the victims. The chief minister had said that wolves that could not be captured should be shot.
Principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Anuradha Vemuri also issued a letter dated September 26 in connection with the issue.
The killing of the wolf has brought temporary relief for now, but officials and residents said vigilance must continue until the threat was fully contained.
