Fear After Sundown: Wolf Attacks Claim 11 Lives, Mostly Children, in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich

The attacks, reported from several villages along the Ghaghara river belt, have triggered panic and unprecedented restrictions on movement after sunset. Children no longer play outside in the evenings, women avoid venturing out alone, and the elderly remain confined to their homes. The fear is rooted in repeated encounters with what locals believe are wolves venturing out of nearby fields and forests.

One such incident unfolded on a sunny winter afternoon in Mallahan Purwa village. With more than an hour left before sunset, four-year-old Star stepped out to play at a nearby playground. Just a few metres away, his grandmother, Devmani, was speaking with neighbours. The village appeared calm—buffaloes rested in their sheds, dogs chased each other along the road, and the hum of tractors and motorcycles filled the air.

Moments later, the calm shattered. A sudden scream alerted the villagers, and the child had vanished. According to his mother, Priyanka, the wolf dragged the boy into the surrounding sugarcane fields, several kilometres away. When villagers finally found him, both of his arms had been severed by the animal’s bites, and his body bore more than 30 wounds. Bleeding heavily, Star was rushed to the nearest hospital, nearly 50 kilometres away, and later referred to Lucknow. He died en route to the state capital, approximately 130 kilometres from his village.

Officials from the Forest Department have intensified combing and surveillance operations in the affected areas, particularly along the banks of the Ghaghara river. Teams have been deployed to track the movement of the animals and assess whether the attacks are linked to a single wolf or a pack. Local authorities have also advised villagers to avoid open fields, especially during the evening hours, and to ensure children are constantly supervised.

The scale and frequency of the attacks have raised serious concerns about human-wildlife conflict in the region. With agriculture fields and forested areas lying close to residential settlements, experts believe shrinking habitats and changing environmental conditions may be pushing wild animals closer to human habitation.

As investigations and containment efforts continue, fear remains a constant presence in Bahraich’s villages. For residents, the setting sun no longer signals the end of a day’s work, but the beginning of a dangerous wait—one marked by uncertainty, vigilance, and grief that has already claimed too many lives.