Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh): Five members of a family in Malgaon village, Khandwa district, were attacked by a wolf early Friday morning, officials reported. The attack occurred around 2:30 am in the tribal area of Khalwa tehsil, approximately 20 kilometres from the district centre.

Sandeep Vaskale, the Sub-Divisional Officer of Police for Harsud, shared the details with the media. "After the family started screaming, neighbours and others arrived and chased away the wolf. A woman has sustained wounds on her hands while four men have been bitten on the hands. They are being treated in Khandwa Medical College Hospital," the SDOP said.

According to Rakesh Damor, the Khandwa Divisional Forest Officer, the injured family members have received rabies vaccinations and medical treatment. "Going by the purported video clip doing the rounds on social media, it is too early to say about which animal it was. In the video, the animal looks like a jackal to me, a bit smaller than a wolf," the DFO said.

It is unclear whether the wolf involved in the attack has been captured. When asked about the police's identification of the attacker as a wolf, Damor chose not to comment, noting that wildlife matters are handled by the forest department. "Investigations are on. The victims have suffered bruises. Patrolling in the area has been intensified," he added.

This incident in Madhya Pradesh comes amid recent news of wolf attacks in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. In Bahraich district, wolves have been linked to eight deaths, including seven children, over the past two months. Around 30 other people have also been injured in these attacks.

Agency