50-year-old woman severely injured in wolf attack in Bahraich; search on for sixth 'killer'

NEW DELHI: Authorities in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, are intensifying their efforts to capture a sixth 'killer' wolf following another attack that left a woman seriously injured.

Pushpa Devi, 50, was attacked around 10 pm in Raipur Korean Tepra village, Khairighat police station area, while she was sleeping.

The wolf grabbed her by the throat. She was initially taken to a local hospital and later referred to Bahraich District Hospital due to the severity of her injuries.

Her son-in-law described the incident, saying, "The incident took place at 10 pm when she was sleeping. One of the children might have opened the door and it (wolf) was hiding somewhere.

It came and grabbed her by the throat. The family members heard her cry and ran towards her to find out. The people in the neighbourhood also gathered and then it (wolf) ran away... I was not present there."

The attack has increased fear among local residents. This follows another incident earlier on Wednesday when an 11-year-old girl was injured by a wolf in the region and is currently receiving treatment at a local government hospital in Mahasi.

On Tuesday, the fifth 'killer' wolf was captured by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department as part of "Operation Bhediya," aimed at catching wolves responsible for attacks in 25-30 villages under Mahsi tehsil in the Bahraich range. Despite this, one wolf remains at large.

The Forest Department has installed snap cameras in multiple probable wolf habitats to monitor and capture the remaining wolf. In Sikandarpur village, cameras were placed around six caves believed to be wolf habitats. So far, nine people have been killed and over 40 injured in wolf attacks in various villages of Bahraich.