Maharashtra: Maneater leopard shot dead after 3 deaths in Pimparkhed

PUNE: A maneater leopard, responsible for three deaths in Pune district’s Pimparkhed village and surrounding areas in the last 20 days, was shot dead during a joint operation by the Forest Department and a rescue team, officials said.

According to a release, three people, including a five-year-old girl, an 82-year-old woman and a 13-year-old boy, were killed in separate attacks since October 12, triggering massive public anger across Junnar, Shirur, Ambegaon and Khed taluks.

Following the death of a 13-year-old boy, a mob torched a forest patrol vehicle and a local base camp building. Protests intensified Monday as villagers blocked the Pune-Nashik highway near Manchar for nearly 18 hours, demanding immediate action against the predator.

A 13-year-old boy was killed by a leopard in a village in Shirur tehsil of Pune district, marking the third case of human-animal conflict in a month, triggering an angry response from locals who set a patrolling van of the forest department on fire pic.twitter.com/Ke34r6JePf

— Pune First (@Pune_First) November 3, 2025

Forest officials said Pune Conservator of Forests Ashish Thackeray secured approval from the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) to neutralise the leopard. A team comprising veterinarian Dr Satvik Pathak and sharpshooters Jubin Postwala and Dr Prasad Dabholkar was deployed.

“Camera traps and thermal drones were used. The leopard was sighted about 400-500 metres from the incident site. A tranquilliser dart misfired, after which it charged at the team, prompting the sharpshooters to open fire around 10.30 pm,” an official said, adding the animal was about 5-6 years old.

The leopard’s carcass was shown to villagers before being sent to the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre for a post-mortem. The operation was carried out with the support of local villagers under the supervision of senior forest officials. (ANI)