Every night a Diwali as villagers burst crackers to ward off wolves | India News – Times of India Trending Global News

Lucknow: Diwali is still two months away, but… Villagers People in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, have been stocking up on lights and firecrackers for weeks. As the sun sets and the forests on the outskirts of the panic-stricken villages – where a pack of three “killer wolves” have lurked and killed seven villagers so far – distant howls begin to echo, firecrackers are burst intermittently until dawn and all dark areas are bathed in bright light to scare away the wolves.

The villagers of this area have not been able to sleep for several weeks.

Coordinating this initiative UP Forest Department And the local police aim to create a deterrent through loud noises and sounds bright lightsDivisional Forest Officer Ajit Pratap Singh said that firecrackers are being burnt every hour in many villages for the safety of the residents.
Singh said, “It is believed that loud noises and bright lights will deter wolves from entering villages, ensuring the safety of residents.” Bahraich SP Vrinda Shukla said, “We have been on high alert ever since wolves were first spotted in the area. This precautionary measure is being implemented in wolf-infested villages.” Attack of the wolvesWhere fear can be clearly seen among the residents. We are making every effort to prevent further incidents.”

After several days of search, forest department teams spread across sugarcane fields in Sisayya village in Bahraich captured a male wolf on Thursday. About a fortnight ago, the teams had captured three wolves in the neighbouring Hardi area.
Forest department teams are now searching for the remaining two wolves of the pack, which are believed to be responsible for killing seven people – six children and a woman – in the last six weeks. Bahraich district,
High-mast lights have been installed in coordination with the electricity department and police patrols are active in the areas most affected by the attacks. “We have formed several teams to patrol these areas. The teams make rounds every hour,” Shukla said.

The villagers are actively participating in these measures. Rajesh Lodhi, whose eight-year-old daughter Khushboo was killed in a wolf attack, said they remain vigilant along with other villagers and the administration. “We use torches, sticks and iron rods and chant ‘Jaagte Raho’ intermittently,” he said. Chandra Bali, a resident of Sisayya village, expressed relief at the increased security. “The efforts of the forest and police departments have made a difference. We now have a high-mast light near the pond area, which we were avoiding as wolves were seen there many times.”
25 forest department teams are engaged in catching the wolves, while more than 350 security personnel have been deployed in the terror-hit villages on the instructions of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.