E-Paper
Woman killed by leopard; 3rd fatal attack in one month in Junnar
Two leopard attacks in Junnar tehsil, India, within days. Villagers clash with forest officials. Leopard captured after killing a woman in Pimpale Pendhar village.
PUNE: Barely days after Rudra Mahesh Fatale, 8, was killed in a leopard attack in Kalwadi village on May 8, a woman, 45, was killed in another leopard attack in Pimpale Pendhar village of Junnar tehsil. Once again, there was an altercation between the angry villagers and the forest officials. Meanwhile, the forest department successfully captured a leopard near Pimpalwandi village on the morning of Friday, May 10.
On Friday at around 8 am, the now-deceased woman, Nanubai Sitaram Kadale, 45, was working in a millet field, walking along the sides to keep a watch on the produce when a leopard suddenly pounced on her and dragged her into a nearby sugarcane field. Nanubai’s son, who was working at some distance, saw her blood-stained scarf lying on the ground and began shouting for help. Soon, people gathered and began searching for Nanubai. As they found and brought Nanubai’s body out of the sugarcane field, the leopard followed them and tried to drag her body back into the field. Upon being hit with wooden sticks, the leopard ran away. Nanubai had succumbed to her grievous injuries. The forest department was informed about the attack and a team soon reached the spot. However, the incensed villagers began arguing with the forest officials and even refused to handover Nanubai’s body to them for a post-mortem. It took a long time for the villagers to calm down.
Amol Satpute, deputy conservator of forests, Junnar forest division, said, “The department after receiving information about the attack sent a primary team to the spot. The team of forest officials along with a veterinary officer from the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre reached the spot. The veterinary officer took a swab (sample) for examination. Also, footprints of a wild animal were found at the spot, and the hair of a wild animal was found on the dead body. To prevent further harm to the villages and keep a check on leopard movement, six camera traps have been installed in the area. Drone cameras have also been deployed to detect the presence of leopards.”
Surekha Vethekar, sarpanch, Pimpale Pendhar village, said, “This incident could have been avoided if the forest department, as per our demand, had set up trap cages in the village. However, the forest officials neglected our demand. The villagers are now aggressive and also scared as multiple leopards have been sighted in the village at the same time. We demand permission to kill the leopards however the forest department is not willing to give us the same. There is a threat to the safety of villagers as leopard attacks are rising in Junnar, and people are living in fear of leopard attacks.”
Earlier on April 11, a one-and-a-half-year-old baby girl, Sanskruti Kuelkar, was killed in a leopard attack in Shiroli Khurd village in Junnar tehsil.
Leopard captured near Pimpalwandi village
Considering the rising leopard attacks, the Junnar forest department has installed four trap cages in areas including Lendesthal near Pimpalwandi, Kalwadi, Kakadpatta and Pimpale Pendhar. On Friday morning, a male leopard around seven to eight years’ old was caught in one of the trap cages set up at Lendesthal near Pimpalwandi. The leopard was sent to the facility in Junnar where a medical checkup will be carried out, informed Vaibhav Kakde, range forest officer, Junnar forest division.
