Wolves strike Terai children, raise hackles

In the Mahsi Tehsil area of Bahraich district, Uttar Pradesh, the nights have turned into scenes reminiscent of a horror thriller.

- Biswajeet Banerjee

As darkness falls, men in over two dozen villages stand guard, armed with iron rods, sticks, and torches, chanting "Jagte Raho" (stay awake). Meanwhile, women sleep with their children tied to their sarees, desperate to keep them safe from a lurking menace.

For the past one-and-a-half months, nearly 30 villages in the Terai region along the Ghaghra Riverbed have been gripped by fear, with villagers sacrificing sleep to protect their children. Even during the day, children are kept indoors, leading to a sharp decline in school attendance.

The source of this terror is a pack of wolves that has claimed nine lives-mostly children aged 1 to 8-since March 2024.