The Uttar Pradesh forest department captured another wolf on Tuesday, marking the fifth capture in an ongoing effort to rid Bahraich district of the terror caused by a pack of six wolves.

This latest capture took place in Harbaksh Purwa village, near the Ghaghara river, where another wolf had previously been apprehended.

Dubbed Operation Bhediya, the initiative has been launched in response to a series of wolf attacks that have left 10 people dead, including nine children, and at least 36 others injured over the past month and a half. With this capture, only one wolf remains at large, continuing to spark fear among residents.

The Uttar Pradesh government has declared the wolf attacks a 'wildlife disaster,' placing 35 villages in Bahraich on high alert. Teams from the forest department have been patrolling the affected areas, utilizing unconventional methods such as elephant dung and urine to drive away the remaining wolves.

What has puzzled experts is the unusual aggression displayed by the wolves. Known for their generally docile nature, wolves rarely attack humans unless provoked. Sanjay Pathak, General Manager of UP Forest Corporation, suggested that the wolves may be acting out of revenge. Reports from villagers indicate that a wolf den in a nearby sugarcane field was destroyed in recent floods, possibly killing the cubs, which may have triggered this aggressive behavior.

As Operation Bhediya continues, authorities remain vigilant, hopeful that the final wolf will be captured soon, bringing an end to the terror gripping the region.