New Delhi:

While the Uttar Pradesh government is concerned over attacks by wolves in some districts including Bahraich, state minister Baby Rani Maurya has given a bizarre explanation over why it is not easy to control the menace swiftly.

In Jhansi, answering reporters’ questions on the wolf attacks, Ms Maurya said the wolves are not being easily caught as the animals were “more clever than the government.”

“Many teams are engaged in searching for the wolves. We will find them. But it is taking time because the wolves are more clever than the government. We are looking into the matter. The wolves will be caught soon,” she said, adding the state forest minister is personally handling the search.

An eight-year-old boy was injured in a wolf attack while playing outside his home in Mahsi tehsil in Bahraich today, his family has said.

The boy, injured on his face, has been hospitalised, a government doctor said. In the last two months, Bahraich district has recorded eight deaths, including seven children in a series of attacks by wolves while nearly three dozen others were left injured, according to official figures.

The latest attack took place on Thursday evening at Golwa village of Mahsi tehsil — a rural area closer to the city, but away from the areas of all the previous attacks.

“The child was playing near the door of the house. Then the wolf knocked him down and injured him. As soon as the wolf knocked him down, the child started screaming. When we all heard the scream, we ran shouting. Hearing the noise, the wolf left the child and ran away. We all have seen the wolf running away,” the boy’s mother said.

The local medical college’s principal Dr Sanjay Khatri said the child was attacked from behind by the wolf.

“He is being treated after being admitted to the medical college. The child has suffered super facial injuries on the left side of his cheek and neck, and has been given two stitches. The child’s condition is out of danger,” Mr Khatri said.

Since March, wolves have been attacking children and adults in the Mahsi tehsil area of Bahraich.

The attacks increased from July 17 during the rainy season and till date, a total of eight people, including seven children, have died due to these attacks.