Operation Bhediya: UP forest department captures fifth 'killer' wolf in Bahraich, search continues for one more

The Uttar Pradesh Forest Department successfully captured the fifth 'killer' wolf responsible for a series of attacks on villagers in Bahraich on Tuesday. However, one wolf remains on the loose, and efforts to capture it are ongoing.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Ajeet Pratap Singh confirmed the capture, stating, "We have caught the fifth wolf, but one is still at large. We are doing everything we can to capture the remaining wolf soon." Singh also mentioned that the captured wolf is a female, and the operation to apprehend the last one is still underway.

#WATCH | Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh: The Forest Department captured the fifth wolf and is now taking it to a rescue shelter of the Forest Department.

So far 5 wolves have been caught. One more wolf remains to be caught. pic.twitter.com/euCm2tKaAr

— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2024

The operation, which began early in the morning, was carried out without the use of drones. Singh explained that previous attempts using drones had caused the wolves to flee. "We started the operation around 5:30-6 am and completed it around 6:15-6:30 am. This time, we did not use a drone because the wolves would run away when they saw it," Singh told ANI. "We spotted the remaining wolf and will increase vigilance in the area. The captured wolf is a female, and the one that escaped is a male."

#WATCH | Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh: DFO Ajeet Pratap Singh says, "We have caught the fifth wolf...One is left, we will catch that wolf also soon...We are trying our best every day to catch the left wolf..." https://t.co/8vMCJg9hpy pic.twitter.com/MKkyIxBDy9

— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2024

Renu Singh, Chief Forest Conservator of the Central Zone, hailed the operation as a significant success. "This marks our fifth capture. We had received information that the wolf lifted a goat in Nathuwapur, so we traced its pug marks and set up nets. The capture took place early in the morning," she said. "We altered our strategy this time by minimizing drone use, as the wolves had become aware of the drones. One more wolf remains, and we are making all efforts to rescue it."

The forest department launched "Operation Bhediya" to capture a pack of wolves responsible for attacking 25-30 villages in the Bahraich Forest Division. So far, nine people have been killed, and more than 40 others injured in the wolf attacks. To aid in the capture, the department installed snap cameras in key areas, including Sikandarpur village, where local villagers identified six caves as possible wolf habitats.