Two leopard kills in three days, forest dept may shoot animal

The forest department has been ordered to take use any means necessary to trap the leopard.

Two days after a 54-year-old woman was attacked and killed in Murbad, Thane, by a leopard, another kill by the same animal was reported from the district at 6pm on Sunday, less than 5km away from the first one.

Barku Bhau Bhoir, 52, a resident of Sonavale village in Murbad, Tokawade south range was attacked by the leopard around 5pm while he was returning from his rice field. (HT File Photo)

Barku Bhau Bhoir, 52, a resident of Sonavale village in Murbad, Tokawade south range was attacked by the leopard around 5pm while he was returning from his rice field.

Read: Lurking leopard kills woman in Murbad

Forest officials said the matter was discussed with the chief wildlife warden and a team from Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivli was dispatched to trap the leopard.

“The situation has taken a serious turn. The leopard is aggressive and is not used to natural hunting. Our forest officers have been trying to trap it but it has been avoiding the cages,” said KP Singh, chief conservator of forest, Thane.

He added that the Thane division had received permission from the chief wildlife warden to take any means necessary to stop the attacks. “We have been told to trap the leopard by tranquillising it but if that doesn’t work we might have to shoot the animal,” said Singh.