10-yr-old girl injured in wild animal attack in Bahraich, admin on alert

Bahraich: A suspected wild animal attack on a 10-year-old girl in Bahraich on Wednesday triggered panic among villagers, prompting the district administration to step up measures to tackle the growing human-wildlife conflict in the region.The incident occurred in Changiya village under the Baundi police station area, when the girl was grazing goats in nearby fields. The girl sustained serious head injuries in the attack.Hearing her screams, villagers rushed to the spot with sticks and managed to chase the animal back towards the forest. The victim was later admitted to the district hospital, where she is undergoing treatment.Following repeated wildlife attacks in the district, DM Akshay Tripathi has directed officials to conduct regular review meetings over the next four to five weeks, particularly involving officers from Mahsi and Kaiserganj tehsils. He also ordered the preparation of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to maintain annual records of wildlife conflict incidents.In view of the rising incidents of human-wildlife conflict involving wolves in Bahraich and adjoining districts over the past two years, the forest department has constituted a seven-member expert committee to formulate a comprehensive strategy to prevent attacks during the monsoon and winter seasons.In 2024, a pack of six wolves terrorised over 55 villages in Bahraich since March, resulting in 10 deaths and more than 50 injuries, while in 2025, 12 people were killed and at least 30, mostly children and women, were injured.