Man vs wild: Amid recent tiger and jackal attacks, how UP forest dept is changing strategy
While villagers in the affected areas have demanded strict measures to keep wild animals at bay, the forest dept said it is expanding fencing and setting up rescue centres
7 min read
Two people were killed within a week in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district, reportedly by a tiger suspected to have strayed from the South Kheri forest division (Representational Image/File)Two people were killed within a week in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district, reportedly by a tiger suspected to have strayed from the South Kheri forest division about 35 km away. In another incident on Friday, a jackal purportedly attacked and injured three people — including a 13-year-old boy — in a village in Bahraich district.
With several such incidents of man-animal conflict occurring at regular intervals, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to expand fencing around forest areas and implement additional measures to prevent future incidents.
So far, the forest department has installed extensive chain-link fencing across large areas to prevent big cats and other wild animals from entering human settlements. In select locations, solar-powered fences have been installed — these deliver a mild electric shock to animals that come too close.
In Sitapur, the two deaths took place in the Maholi area — about 15 km apart. Authorities have issued an alert across a 30-35 km stretch in Maholi, covering nearly 15 villages.
The Forest Department confirmed that the first victim, Shubham Dixit (21), was killed in an animal attack in Narani village on August 21. On Friday evening, the body of 56-year-old farmer Rakesh Kumar was found in a field in Basara village.
Divisional Forest Officer (Sitapur), Naveen Khandelwal, said there were no visible signs of an animal attack on Rakesh’s body, though the department is awaiting the post-mortem report before drawing any conclusions. He confirmed that Shubham’s death was caused by a tiger attack.
At Basara, village pradhan Amar Singh said they believe Rakesh’s death was linked to the animal. “There is fear in the village. We suspect Rakesh may have seen the animal, suffered a heart attack, and died,” he claimed.
He added that residents are avoiding going out due to fear. “We demand strict measures to prevent wild animals from straying out of forest areas and entering residential localities,” said Singh.
At Chauva Begampur, one of the 15 villages under alert, Ram Ratan — husband of village pradhan Ramrati — said the frequent movement of wild animals into residential areas must be stopped by fencing forest boundaries. “Our village is just about 3 km from Basara. People here are living in fear and taking every possible precaution,” he said.
Forest officials said efforts are on to trace the tiger, believed to be an adult, and trap cameras, cages, drones and other equipment have also been deployed in the area to catch it.
The jackal attack, meanwhile, took place in Marucha village in Bahraich.
According to locals, Asad (13) was grazing animals in the fields when a jackal suddenly appeared. Hearing his cries for help, two villagers — Akhlaq (45) and Ajmarul (30) — rushed to his aid but were also attacked by the animal, a resident claimed.
More villagers soon arrived, forcing the animal to flee. “The injured were taken to a hospital, while locals surrounded the field, captured the jackal, and beat it to death,” the resident added.
Village pradhan Ajay Singh said the trio were discharged after treatment. “Villagers attacked the animal after it entered the residential area… and it died. The government needs to take serious steps to prevent such incidents,” he said.
Bahraich Ranger Mohammad Sakib said locals claimed a jackal had attacked three villagers. He added that an inquiry is underway into allegations that the animal was killed, as no carcass has been found so far.
Over the past few years, the state has witnessed several incidents of man-animal conflict. Two cases from last year drew national attention.
The first case involved a pack of six wolves that had been targeting people, mostly children, in 35 villages of Mahasi tehsil in Bahraich after sunset. The Forest Department launched a two-month-long ‘Operation Bhediya’, during which it captured six wolves believed to be responsible for the deaths of eight people and injuries to 18 others.
The second major incident involved a “sugarcane tiger” — a big cat that is born, inhabits and moves around in sugarcane fields more comfortably than in forest areas, its natural habitat.
It killed 12 animals and spread fear across 11 villages in Lucknow. After nearly three months of tracking, the Forest Department finally captured the feline in March.
According to official data, till June this year, there were 453 incidents of man-animal conflict over the past two years. In 2023-24, 254 incidents were reported, resulting in 82 deaths. Although the number of incidents rose to 280 in the following year, the number of fatalities decreased to 60.
Multi-pronged response
To tackle the problem, the state government is enforcing several measures.
First, the government has decided to extend fencing to additional forest areas — North Kheri, Najibabad, Sitapur, Shahjahanpur, South Kheri, Bahraich, Shravasti, and Gorakhpur, covering several hundreds of kilometers — where animal movements are frequently reported.
The fencing is being installed by erecting poles along the forest periphery, including stretches passing through privately owned land, said an official.
These fences have helped stop wild animals from entering villages to a large extent. They’ve also helped reduce crop damage, lowered the risk of human injuries or fatalities, and stopped livestock from wandering into forests where they could fall prey to wild predators, said the official.
As per the official, in the first phase, fencing was undertaken in select areas, including Dudhwa National Park, Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Bijnor, and other regions. Around 230 km of chain-link fencing and 41 km of solar fencing were installed.
In 2023-24 alone, 125.01 km of chain-link fencing and 21 km of solar fencing were installed. So far in 2024-25, an additional 106 km of chain-link fencing and 20 km of solar fencing have been set up.
The Forest Department also credits the 370 Baghmitras — appointed to assist the department in dealing with big cats that stray into residential areas — for helping reduce cases of man-animal conflict.
These volunteers help build trust between villagers and the Forest Department by holding regular awareness meetings. They educate residents on how to stay safe around wild animals, explain animal behaviour, and provide guidance on what to do in case of an emergency. They also promote wildlife conservation and work to prevent conflicts by spreading awareness and responding swiftly when wild animals enter village areas.
“Baghmitras help in mitigating man-animal conflicts,” said Chief Forest Conservator Anuradha Vemuri.
Third, the department is also setting up four modern rescue centres in key regions — Western UP, Terai, Awadh, and Bundelkhand — so that wild animals found in villages can be safely taken there. The goal is to protect both animals and people living near forest areas, said officials.
The rescue centres are being built in the Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary (Meerut), Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Sohagibarwa Wildlife Sanctuary (Maharajganj), and Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary (Chitrakoot).
They will be equipped with modern facilities, including treatment units, quarantine zones, watch towers, accommodation blocks, and training halls. They are designed to provide rapid response, care, and rehabilitation for captured wild animals.
Moreover, the government has also planned to move people out of forest areas where many tigers are found. Families relocated will get compensation as per the rules.
Vemuri said it is a complex issue and the department is working hard to resolve it.
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