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In Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district, a wave of wolf attacks has left villagers living in fear. Since mid-April, these attacks have claimed the lives of nine children and one adult, with 34 others injured. The most recent victim was four-year-old Sandhya, who was taken by wolves during a power outage, only to be found the next day in sugarcane fields 500 meters from her home.
These tragic events have plunged nearly 30 villages into a state of terror. Families now lock their children indoors at night, and men patrol the streets, armed and ready to protect their loved ones. Authorities have deployed drones, cameras, and firecrackers to scare away the wolves, capturing and relocating three so far.
Such attacks are rare. Wolves typically avoid humans, with only a few hundred attacks reported globally between 2002 and 2020, most of them involving rabid animals. Yet in Bahraich, these attacks seem to be driven by environmental disruptions. Flooding in the Ghaghara River region has likely displaced wolves, forcing them into human settlements in search of food.
The villages in Bahraich bear an eerie resemblance to earlier attacks in India. In 1996, over 76 children were killed in a series of wolf attacks in Uttar Pradesh, with many victims coming from impoverished households where supervision was minimal. The current attacks share the same tragic pattern: children sleeping outdoors, vulnerable to predators due to their families' socioeconomic conditions.
Wildlife experts recommend heightened vigilance. Children should be kept indoors, sleep between adults, and avoid wandering at night. While efforts to address the situation are ongoing, the fear among the people of Bahraich persists as they anxiously await a resolution.
