After fatal leopard attacks, Pune deploys rescue teams; Maharashtra govt announces safety measures

For several years now, the talukas of Junnar, Ambegaon, Khed and Shirur in Pune district of Maharashtra have been facing a serious crisis due to the rising number of leopards and their frequent movement into human settlements.

This has created an atmosphere of fear among villagers. Over the last five years, many people have lost their lives in leopard attacks, and several others have suffered severe injuries. In the most recent incidents, a 13-year-old boy, an elderly woman and a young girl were tragically killed.

Taking serious note of the situation, Ajit Pawar has approved an amount of Rs 11.25 crore for immediate action to trap leopards and bring the human-wildlife conflict under control. He assured citizens that preventing human loss is the government’s top priority and appealed to people not to panic.

The northern talukas of Pune—Junnar, Ambegaon, Khed and Shirur—have become favourable habitats for leopards due to the abundance of sugarcane fields, water resources and ideal conditions for breeding. Irrigation projects such as Ghod, Kukadi, Manikdoh and Pimpalgaon Joga have encouraged large-scale cultivation of sugarcane, banana, grape and pomegranate crops, which provide leopards with shelter, water and prey. As a result, the leopard population in this region has grown substantially, with forest officials estimating around 1,500 leopards across the Junnar division, which covers over 611 square kilometres.

Ajit Pawar sanctioned this major fund. Earlier, an additional Rs 2 crore had been allocated through the District Planning Committee for the purchase of cages, and the procurement process for these cages is already underway, an official said.

Under the newly approved plan, 20 specialised rescue teams will be deployed in the Junnar Forest Division. Each team will be equipped with trained shooters, trackers, tranquilising guns, rescue vehicles, modern cameras, cages and other necessary tools. The plan includes a total of 500 cages, 20 tranquilising guns, 500 trap cameras, 250 live-feed cameras, 500 high-power torches, 500 smart sticks and 20 medical equipment kits. Each rescue team will consist of five to six trained members ready to respond swiftly in emergencies.

Ajit Pawar stated that these concrete measures will help keep leopards at a safe distance from human settlements, ensure timely rescue and relocation operations, and minimise the risk to human life. He emphasised that protecting citizens while ensuring wildlife conservation is the government’s dual responsibility. “Preventing human casualties is our highest priority. The administration is fully committed to swift and effective action, and there is no need for citizens to be afraid,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

Vilas Bombe, father of Rohan who was killed in a leopard attack on Sunday afternoon. Pic/Special Arrangement by Archana Dahiwal

There is law to eat man but no law to kill big cat,” says father after leopard kills his 13-year-old son

“There is a law to eat a man but no law to kill a cat. Keep us in a cage. The leopard ate my lad in a few minutes,” said a heartbroken Vilas Bombe, father of 13-year-old Rohan Bombe, who was dragged and killed by a leopard near his home in Pimparkhed (Ambewadi) on Sunday afternoon.

The tragedy—the third leopard attack in a month in the Shirur region—sparked massive outrage, as hundreds of villagers blocked the Pune–Nashik Highway in protest, demanding that the leopard be shot dead and a permanent solution to the growing man-animal conflict in the area on Monday near Manchar.

The Horror in the Sugarcane Fields

According to relatives, Rohan had stepped out after lunch to cut grass for the family’s cattle when he was attacked. “The family had finished lunch and was sitting at home. Rohan said he would cut the grass. Suddenly, the leopard pounced on him,” said Santosh Argade, a relative.

His grandmother heard his screams and rushed out, shouting for help. Rohan’s father and uncle ran into the field but were too late. “The leopard dragged Rohan nearly 300 metres and ate half his body,” Argade said. The boy was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries; he was dead on the spot.

The family’s grief quickly turned into public fury. The villagers, already reeling from recent attacks, took to the streets, shouting slogans against the forest department and blocking the busy highway for several hours.

Rohan Bombe, killed in a leopard attack on Sunday afternoon. Pic/Special Arrangement by Archana Dahiwal

Growing Fear, Mounting Anger

“This is not the first time,” said Devdatta Nikam, working president of the Pune Rural unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction). “Fifty-six villagers have been killed in leopard attacks here. Yet no forest minister, no other minister—not even the district collector—has come here to visit. We went to Mumbai but our voice was unheard. Our children can’t step out of the house anymore.”

Nilam, one of the local protesters, said villagers had announced an indefinite rasta roko. “We are not ready to move until the government ensures safety. On Sunday also we did it,” she said.

Following the violent protests, the forest department’s patrol vehicle and office were set on fire by enraged villagers.

Forest Department Orders to “Shoot on Sight”

Smita Rajhance, Assistant Conservator of Forests, told mid-day that authorities have issued orders to shoot the leopard on sight if it poses an immediate danger. “We are conducting reconnaissance in the affected zone. In the past two weeks, the department has caught 15 leopards. On the morning of this incident, one leopard was also trapped in a cage,” she said.

Officials said 25 cages and 10 trap cameras have been installed, and drones are being used to monitor the area. A team of sharpshooters has been deployed and will act when a clear shot is possible.

According to forest officials, nearly 90 per cent of the farmland is under sugarcane, with two rivers—Kulhadi and Ghod Nadi—providing a steady water flow. “The dense sugarcane and abundant prey attract leopards to these areas,” said an official.

Calls for Accountability and Action

Shirur MP Dr. Amol Kolhe has written to the Chief Conservator of Forests demanding elimination orders for man-eating leopards and urgent intervention from the state. “While our children and mothers are dying in daylight, the government is silently watching. This apathy is unbearable,” he said in a statement.

The Maharashtra government provides Rs 25 lakh compensation for victims killed in leopard attacks, but villagers say they are no longer interested in money—they want their safety back.

“This is not about compensation anymore,” said one villager. “We will return their Rs 25 lakh if the government can give us our children alive.”

A crisis beyond one village

The Pimparkhed tragedy is the third death in the last month—after 5-year-old Shivnya Bombe was killed on 12 October and 70-year-old Bhagabai Jadhav on 22 October. Experts say the Junnar Forest Division now records one of the highest leopard densities in Maharashtra, estimated at 6–7 leopards per 100 sq km.

As tension continues, Pimparkhed remains on edge—a village trapped between grief and fear, waiting for the next shadow to move through its sugarcane fields.

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