Three-year-old boy dragged away by suspected wolf in Bahraich

A three-year-old boy was snatched by a wild animal, believed to be a wolf, in broad daylight. The shocking event took place around 10 am on Saturday in the Gandhu Jhala village of Manjhara Taukli area, Bahraich, while the child, Ankesha, was drinking milk in the veranda of his home.

His mother was sitting nearby in the courtyard when the animal suddenly appeared and dragged the child away.

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Upon hearing the mother’s screams, family members and villagers rushed to the spot, arming themselves with sticks and rods to search for the predator. Despite extensive efforts, there has been no trace of either the child or the animal so far.

The victim, Ankesha, is the youngest of four siblings. His father, Raksha Ram, is a daily-wage laborer. The family lives in extremely poor conditions. Following the tragedy, Raksha Ram has been inconsolable and reportedly falls unconscious repeatedly due to shock and grief.

Villagers have accused the Forest Department of negligence, claiming that despite repeated attacks over the past 10 days, officials have failed to identify the animal or prevent further incidents. “People are dying, and the forest team is misleading us. They don’t even know what animal is responsible,” said one angry local.

District Forest Officer (DFO) Ram Singh Yadav confirmed the incident and stated, “A child was taken by a wild animal this morning. The mother was cooking nearby. Villagers say it was a wolf. The location is near sugarcane fields, which are often used by wild animals as hiding spots. The forest department is working with locals to track the animal.”

Samajwadi Party MLA from Kaiserganj, Anand Yadav, visited the grieving family and promised swift action. He also met with other villagers to understand their concerns and assured them of government intervention.

Reports indicate that the region, particularly Kaiserganj Tehsil and Fakharpur Block, has been plagued by wolf attacks for the past 10 days. Two people have been killed and at least five others injured during this period. Forest officials are currently on-site, continuing their search operations. However, the lack of results so far has only intensified fear and anger among the local population.