UP CM Yogi Adityanath Meets Families Of Wolf Attack Victims In Bahraich, Announces Rs 5 Lakh Aid

Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday conducted aerial survey and visited the Mahsi tehsil of Bahraich — where wolves have so far killed 10, including nine children and one woman, and injured 50. The CM 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.

The UP CM also took stock of the ongoing ‘Operation Bhediya’ to capture the man-eater wolves in the region, stating that shooting is the last option. The UP forest department has captured five man-eater wolves, so far, however, one, the forest department says, is still at large.

“I have surveyed the villages. Vigilance is required and the forest department team will remain deployed until the stray wolf is caught. Officials have been directed to increase the patrolling in the area,” said Adityanath, while addressing the gathering. The UP CM said steps have been taken to assist villagers, toilets have been built in Swaccha Bharat Mission and houses without doors now have doors. “Still if any person is deprived of a house, they should receive it under the Chief Minister Housing Scheme…Some children have died due to the terror of wolves, and others have been injured. When I was first informed, I immediately instructed the administration to launch a campaign.”

The CM attributed the increased animal-human conflict to seasonal changes and flooding. “In sensitive areas, such conflicts often arise when flooding displaces wild animals from their natural habitats, forcing them into human settlements in search of prey,” he noted. The Chief Minister recalled an incident in July when a wolf preyed on a one-year-old child after the Saryu River overflowed.

However, the visit took an emotional turn when a baby girl attracted the CM’s attention, who soon picked her up in his arms, and fed her a chocolate.

A team of around 165 foresters and administration officials have been deployed around-the-clock to capture the stray man-eater wolf.