Pune District Team Eliminates Man-Eating Leopard After Fatal Attacks

Leopard Threat in Pune District

A team of marksmen successfully eliminated a man-eating leopard in Pune district, as confirmed by forest department officials on Wednesday.

In the past month, the leopard had been responsible for the deaths of two children and an elderly man in the Pimparkhed area of Shirur tehsil.

Rising Attacks Spark Outrage

Incidents of leopard attacks have surged in the regions of Junnar, Shirur, Ambegaon, and Khed, leading to widespread anger among the local population.

Following the death of a 13-year-old boy in a leopard attack on Sunday, enraged residents set fire to a vehicle belonging to the forest department.

Capture and Elimination Orders Issued

On Monday, forest officials ordered the capture and elimination of the leopard. An officer from the Junnar forest division reported that the leopard was spotted approximately 400 to 500 meters from the attack site on Tuesday night.

The marksmen attempted to tranquilize the animal but were unsuccessful. When the leopard became aggressive and charged at them, they fired shots around 10:30 PM, resulting in the leopard's death. The animal was estimated to be five to six years old.

Aftermath and Further Actions

The remains of the leopard were shown to the villagers of Pimparkhed and were subsequently taken to the Manikdoh rescue center for a post-mortem examination. Additionally, another male leopard was captured using traps on Tuesday.