Experts said the wolf’s limp may be a critical factor in its transformation into a man-eater as struggling to hunt its usual animal prey due to the disability, it likely turned to human children as easier targets
UP’s Bahraich witnessed yet another wolf attack on Monday as a 10-year-old boy was injured while sleeping on the rooftop of his house. The latest incident comes despite the deployment of a 165-member team of foresters, including shooters and administrative officials, to catch the wolves who have turned man-eaters.
The wolf, which is limping and thus referred to as ‘Langda Bhediya’ by locals, reportedly tried to drag the victim named Imran by the neck due to which the boy suffered serious injuries. “The incident took place in Tipri Mohan village at around 2.30am on Monday. The animal attempted to drag Imran by his neck, leaving deep wounds on his throat. The child was immediately rushed to the district hospital in Bahraich for urgent medical care,” said Ajit Pratap Singh, divisional forest officer (DFO), Bahraich, who is a part of ‘Operation Bhediya’ launched by the government to nab the rogue animals.
The locals told the forest department that the wolf climbed up the staircase from the fields, crossed over a neighbouring rooftop, and attacked the child as he slept on a charpoy on the rooftop. “It is for the first time that the wolf has attacked a person sleeping on the rooftop. So far, the children who were sleeping in their house or those who went out in the dark were attacked by the animals,” a senior forest official said.
On the basis of sighting and pug-marks, the foresters presume that the wolf possibly walked with a limp due to old age, disease or an injury.
Limp Behind Attack
The DFO told News18: “The wolf’s limp may be a critical factor in its transformation into a man-eater. Struggling to hunt its usual animal prey due to the disability, it likely turned to human children as easier targets. With its limited mobility, preying on vulnerable humans, particularly sleeping children, has become a simpler option for the predator.”
On Sunday, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducted an aerial survey and visited the Mahsi tehsil of Bahraich where wolves have killed 10 people so far, including nine children. The chief minister met the aggrieved family members in Sisaiya Churamani village and announced Rs 5 lakh financial assistance to them and those who suffered injuries in the attack. He also directed the officials to intensify patrolling and capture the wolf at the earliest.
Officials said so far, they have managed to capture five wolves from the pack of six and one is still at large. Bahraich’s Mahsi tehsil, with a population of around 50,000, has seen a series of similar wolf attacks in recent months.
