Bahraich villagers in fear as animal attacks rise | Lucknow News
Lucknow: Panic has gripped several villages in Bahraich district as wild animal attacks continue to escalate. In the latest incident, a 70-year-old woman was dragged from her home by a suspected leopard in Fakharpur block’s Nandwal area.According to locals, the victim, Chandrawati, was drawing water from a tap inside her house when the predator pounced on her. The animal dragged her nearly 50 meters before villagers armed with sticks and rods managed to intervene and save her. Chandrawati sustained deep facial injuries. Former village head Satguru said the assailant was a leopard that had been terrorising the region for days. This incident comes amid a string of attacks in Bahraich. In the past four days alone, two people were killed and four others injured in similar assaults, triggering widespread fear. Residents are now reluctant to step out of their homes after dark, with many demanding immediate interventions from the authorities. Divisional forest officer (DFO) Ram Singh Yadav confirmed that seven teams of forest personnel are actively tracking the animal. Specialised squads from Bhopal and West Bengal have also been called in to assist. Drones and camera traps have been deployed across the affected villages to locate the predator. Despite the intensified efforts, the animal remains at large. “We are leaving no stone unturned. The safety of villagers is our top priority, and capturing the leopard is our immediate goal,” the DFO said. The spate of recent wild animal attacks in Bahraich has triggered alarm among villagers and authorities alike, evoking grim memories of last year when wolves terrorised the region and claimed the lives of nine children around the same time. The forest department has launched a widespread awareness campaign to prevent further tragedies. Loudspeakers are being used across villages to spread cautionary messages, while posters highlighting safety measures have been put up at strategic locations.
