LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has issued ‘capture or kill’ orders for the two elusive wolves linked to the deaths of 10 people, including nine children, in Bahraich. State minister for forests with independent charge Dr Arun Kumar Saxena and Sanjay Srivastava, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), have reached the affected district in central UP. A team of experts from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) also reached the site late on Tuesday night to study the pattern of the wolf attacks. Over a dozen teams comprising over 300 forest officials and 25 drones held a massive combing operation in the thick forest areas of Bahraich to trap the wolves right through Tuesday night but to no avail.Notably, the predator, which had been attacking villagers for the last three days in quick succession, did not attack on Tuesday night. However, as per the claim of the forest authorities, four wolves had already been trapped and only two are out wreaking havoc. On the contrary, the villagers claim that more than two wolves continue to attack the population of at least 50 villages targeting kids.Meanwhile, the WII experts have been tasked to find out the pattern of attacks and help develop strategies to fight the menace. They have also been asked to offer a blueprint to help people survive the man-animal conflict in the longer run. “Capturing them is a top priority. But if nothing works out and the threat to human life continues, then permission is granted to the team to eliminate the animal,” said Sanjay Srivastava, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) who issued the order for the teams involved in coming operation in Bahraich.
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