Pune: A 13-year-old boy was mauled to death by a leopard in Pimparkhed village of Shirur tehsil on Saturday afternoon, triggering strong reactions from locals. This is the second human death in the same village within 20 days and the fifth fatal leopard attack reported in the Junnar forest division since April this year.
The incident triggered outrage among residents, who set a forest department patrol vehicle on fire and vandalized the Quick Response Team (QRT) base camp near the village. No additional casualties were reported.
Confirming the death, Nilkanth Gavhane, range forest officer (RFO), Pimparkhed, said the attack occurred around 3:45pm when the boy had gone to a nearby field to relieve himself. “A leopard hiding in the tall grass pounced on him, inflicting severe neck injuries,” Gavhane said.
The boy’s father rushed to the spot after hearing his son’s cries and found him critically injured. He succumbed before help could arrive.
Following the incident, tensions flared up in the village. Nearly 2,500 residents gathered, blocking roads and demanding immediate action from the authorities.
“The situation was extremely tense. Our team could not reach the site as the villagers refused to hand over the body for post-mortem. They insisted that the forest minister and district collector visit the spot,” said Gavhane. “We have now arranged for an ambulance and an icebox, as requested by the village sarpanch, to preserve the body until officials arrive.”
{{/usCountry}}“The situation was extremely tense. Our team could not reach the site as the villagers refused to hand over the body for post-mortem. They insisted that the forest minister and district collector visit the spot,” said Gavhane. “We have now arranged for an ambulance and an icebox, as requested by the village sarpanch, to preserve the body until officials arrive.”
{{/usCountry}}Pimparkhed has emerged as a hotspot for human-leopard conflict in the region. On October 12, a five-year-old was killed in a similar attack. The repeated incidents have sparked fear and anger among villagers.
Forest officials are particularly alarmed by a shift in the timing of leopard attacks. Traditionally, such encounters occurred early in the morning or late in the evening, but the two recent incidents took place during daylight hours - one at 10am and the latest at 3:45pm - suggesting a change in the animal’s behavior.
In the wake of a leopard-related death in the nearby Jambut village last month, the forest department had launched a special operation to capture leopards across Shirur. Several animals have been trapped in recent days, but sightings continue.
“A few leopards have been captured, but the population seems to have increased significantly,” a senior forest official said. “We have urged villagers to remain alert and follow all safety precautions.”