As the Forest Department continues the hunt for wolves that killed a three-year-old child in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich, the local people have revealed the happenings of the fateful night when the animal snatched the child sleeping with her mother.
The incident happened at the Garethi Gurudutt Singh village in the Hardi area on Sunday night. The girl, identified as Anjali, was sleeping outside the house with her mother when she was taken by the animal.
The child's mother told ANI that the incident happened around 3:35 am. The woman added that she realised that her child was missing when the younger one woke up in the middle of the night. "My younger daughter, the 6-month-old girl, woke up and began crying. It was then I noted that my older girl was missing," she said, adding that they ran after the animal, but it managed to disappear.
The girl's body was found one km away from the village. The wolf had eaten both her hands. "We work as labourers all day to raise our children. We are so poor and cannot afford to get doors installed at our house," she added.
A neighbour of the woman too recalled seeing the wolf. "We were awake. It came to our house and we thought it was a dog and chased it away," the neighbour told ANI. On finding the body of the child, the neighbour said: "I shouted asking if anyone's child was missing. This family came forward stating that their daughter was missing," he added.
#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: Drone visuals from Bahraich where a search operation is underway to catch the wolves left. So far 4 wolves have been caught. There are 2 wolves left.
— ANI (@ANI) September 2, 2024
Late last night, a wolf attacked a 7-year-old boy and a woman, residents of Barbigha Hardi PS area of… pic.twitter.com/wthuykjNDs
#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: My child was sleeping, the wolf carried her away at around 3 am...There is no door in the house...When my 6-month-old child cried then I came to know that the wolf had carried away my 3-year-old daughter..." pic.twitter.com/J5ToSb5CYU
— ANI (@ANI) September 2, 2024
The neighbours complained that though they approached the Forest Department after repeatedly sighting the wolves, the officials asked for video proof. "Where do we get the video from? We have repeatedly complained that we have seen the wolves. But, it disappears by the time we try to click a picture, it vanishes," he added.
According to the Bahraich district magistrate, the forest officials have difficulties catching the wolves as they change their habitat continuously. "The wolves change their habitat every 5-6 days. The Forest Department is trying its best," the official added.
Traps to lure wolves
The Forest Department is continuing its efforts to nab the animals. Besides using thermal and regular drones, the officials are also using colourful teddy dolls soaked in children's urine to simulate the natural human scent.
The dolls have been placed strategically near the riverbanks, close to the wolves' resting places and dens, and are soaked in children's urine to simulate the natural human scent. "The wolves are constantly changing their locations. Typically, they hunt at night and return to their dens by morning. Our strategy is to mislead them and lure them away from residential areas towards traps or cages placed near their dens," Divisional Forest Officer Ajit Pratap Singh told PTI.
The aim is to track the animals using thermal drones and then drive them towards deserted areas near the traps by setting off firecrackers and making noise.
The pack of six wolves are on a rampage in the village killing six children and one woman since July 17 and injuring numerous villagers. While four of them have been captured, two remain at large.
