Conservator of Forests (Pune) Ashish Thakare confirmed to Mid-Day that the animal, believed to be responsible for recent fatal attacks, was eliminated following due procedure after repeated incidents triggered widespread panic among residents
Pic/Special Arrangement
A leopard suspected of killing three people in Pune district was shot dead near Pimparkhed village in Shirur taluka, officials said on Tuesday.
Conservator of Forests (Pune) Ashish Thakare confirmed to Mid-Day that the animal, believed to be responsible for recent fatal attacks, was eliminated following due procedure after repeated incidents triggered widespread panic among residents.
Over the past month, two minors and an elderly person lost their lives in leopard attacks in the Mauje Pimparkhed area of Shirur tehsil. The incidents fuelled public anger across Junnar, Shirur, Ambegaon and Khed talukas, all of which have reported a rise in leopard-related conflicts.
In view of the escalating situation, Thakare sought and received approval from the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Maharashtra, to capture or, if necessary, neutralise the leopard believed to be involved in the attacks.
A joint operation was subsequently launched by the Forest Department and Pune-based ResQ Organisation. The team included veterinary officer Dr Satwik Pathak and sharpshooters Jubin Postwala and Dr Prasad Dabholkar, who were tasked with capturing or eliminating the animal.
Multiple camera traps were placed throughout the day to track the leopard’s movement, while teams on the ground monitored pugmarks. Later that night, around 400–500 metres from the site of the most recent attack, the leopard was detected using three thermal drones.
Authorities attempted to tranquilise the animal, but the dart did not work. As the leopard turned aggressive and appeared to charge, the sharpshooters fired at around 10.30 pm, killing it. The animal, a male estimated to be five to six years old, died on the spot.
The carcass was shown to villagers in Mauje Pimparkhed before being taken to the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre for post-mortem examination.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of Conservator of Forests Ashish Thakare and carried out by Deputy Conservator of Forests (Junnar) Prashant Khade, Assistant Conservators Smita Rajhans and Amrut Shinde, Range Forest Officer Nilkanth Gavhane, members of ResQ Organisation and local residents.
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