8 Deaths in 2 Month: 'Operation Bhediya' Underway in UP's Bahraich to Capture 2 Wolves on Prowl

Bahraich: A day after forest department officials captured a man-eater wolf in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, efforts were still underway to tranquilise two more deadly predators who are believed to be on the prowl in the area.

The fourth wolf caught yesterday is considered to be one among the pack of six wolves who were on the prowl in the district. The operation to capture the wolves is named 'Operation Bhediya'.  

After the reports of presence of wolves in the region surface, panic gripped the area. So far eight people have died in wolf attacks in the area in the past 2 months.

Out of the 6 wolves, four of them have been captured. Meanwhile, the fourth wolf was released in Gorakhpur zoo after being rescued.

"For a long time there was the terror of wolves here... Today we have caught a wolf... We will transfer it to the zoo... So far, 4 wolves have been caught. There are 2 wolves left; preparations are being made to catch them," news ageny ANI quoted Chief Forest Conservator (Central Zone) Renu Singh as saying.

According to Divisional Forest Officer from Barabanki, Akashdeep Badhawan, the pack of wolves was under constant surveillance.

"We have traced three wolves that were regularly under our surveillance with the help of direct, indirect sighting, pad marks, as well as using IR drones. When we located one of them, we localised the area. It was later tranquillized with the help of vets present with us," ANI quoted him as saying.

"There are still two left under our surveillance and we are also changing our strategies according to the local conditions, and we are hopeful that we will rescue them as soon as possible. Three have already been rescued since the start of the month and out of the remaining three, one had been rescued today and there are still two left," Badhawan said.