Wolves maul to death child, injure woman in UP's Bahraich; animal attack cases reported in Sitapur
Bahraich/Sitapur (UP), Sep 2: A two-year-old girl was killed and a septuagenarian woman injured in separate wolf attack incidents in the Mahsi division of Bahraich district while reports of suspected animal attacks were also received from neighbouring Sitapur district.
District Magistrate (Bahraich) Monika Rani said this was the eighth death in wolf attacks since July 17.
Seven children were among those killed in the attacks and about 30 injured, she said.
According to officials, two-year-old Anjali was sleeping with her mother outside their home in the Garethi Gurudutt Singh village of the Hardi area on Sunday when she was taken by a wolf.
The child's mutilated body was found a kilometre from the village, the officials said and added that the wolf had eaten both her hands.
In the second incident, 70-year-old Kamala Devi from Mauja Kotiya village in the Barabigha area was injured when a wolf entered her house and attacked her early on Monday, they said.
She was admitted to the district hospital with injuries on her neck, mouth and ears and her condition was stated to be stable, they added.
The administration has already caught four wolves and is working to catch the others, District Magistrate Rani said.
However, the presence over a hundred revenue villages in the district has compounded the problem, with the wolves attacking a new village every four to five days, she said.
People are being made aware about the situation and told to sleep inside their homes with the doors closed or on rooftops, Rani said.
According to reports, two wolves are attacking but the forest department is collecting information about the exact number, she added.
Superintendent of Police Vrinda Shukla and Rani took stock of the situation and met the toddler's family members. They have also directed that the injured woman gets proper treatment.
In neighbouring Sitapur, fear gripped residents of Parsehra Sharikpur village after three women were injured in attacks by unidentified animals.
While locals claimed that the women were attacked by wolves, forest department officials suspect that a jackal was behind the attacks.
A forest department team collected animal samples and footprints and ruled out a wolf or tiger attack.
A Parsehra Sharikpur official said Rosida (30) was asleep with her three children in her home when she was attacked. Rosida suffered claw injuries on her hand.
Two more women -- 60-year-old Ramshree and 65-year-old Kailasha -- were attacked, the official added.
The official said villagers immediately informed the forest department and alleged that the women were attacked by a wolf.
Divisional Forest Officer Naveen Khandelwal told reporters, "Our team did not find footprints of any wild animal such as wolf, tiger, leopard or panther. Footprints of jackals were found and were confirmed by forest teams."
He also appealed to the public to avoid spreading rumours about animal attacks and creating panic.
"If any animal is found, people should immediately report to the forest department so that we could help them out on time," he added.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
