Khanugaon panics as wild animal attacks 18 residents

BHOPAL: A group of wild animal resembling a jackal has led to panic in Khanugaon locality of the state capital after having attacked and injured over 18 people during past few days. So much so that people have stopped moving out during the night in the locality along the banks of Upper Lake at the VIP road side.
A team of forest staff that was deployed to identify and catch the animal have failed and remain clueless.Now, they are planning to carry out their operation to catch the wild animal on prowl during the night hours.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday a dog was found dead in the bushes next to the Kinara Apartments and it was suspected that it was the same animal that was terrorizing people. forest department later confirmed it to be a dog that was picked up by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the day. It was not clear how the dog died.
Angry residents of Khanugaon told TOI a group of three to four jackals or hyenas are attacking the people in area. The animal comes from the Rizvan Bagh side and attacks people in the night, said Mohammad Saleem, a local resident, adding that there are only two forest guards deployed here who have warned the people not to attack or kill the animal.
"The women and kids are forced to remain inside the house from the evening hours and we in the form of groups patrol the area night in search of the animal. Administration need to take immediate step so that the people here could live without any fear" said Mohammad Naseeb Khan.
A 15-year-old boy Faraz Ali Khan, who was attacked on and was injured on his face and neck by the animal on August 28, said he was near the dairy farm side in the night when an animal suddenly pounced on him but he anyhow saved his life by shouting and running back towards his home. Two persons are still undergoing treatments in the hospital, he added.
The team of the forest department pressed on the job in the area said they were yet to come across any wild animal in Khanugaon. Deputy ranger DK Shrivastava said continuous monitoring is being done for the wild animal but we can plan our line of action only after first getting confirmed which kind of animal is attacking the residents here, he said, adding that nothing could be ruled out at this stage.
The watchman of Kinara Apartments Vikram said after the death of the dog rumours spread in the area. "I also went to see the animal in the morning but later it turned out to be a dog. By and large everyone feels that it is certainly a wild animal and not a dog", he added.