After 2 human deaths, 7 leopards trapped in a week in Pune’s Junnar but rumours causing unrest against forest dept

Drone surveys are being done in the region to spot the leopard movements.

4 min readPuneUpdated: May 17, 2024 10:12 AM IST

After two human deaths, seven leopards trapped in a week in Junnar, but rumours causing unrest against forest department. (Source: Forest Department)

At a time when leopard-human conflict in Junnar forest region is at its peak, the state forest department is facing additional tensions due to rumour mongering in the area.

Responding to the fatal leopard attacks that killed two people in Junnar this month, the forest department trapped seven leopards in a span of seven days. But rumours about the forest department releasing the trapped leopards has caused a major unrest among locals.

On May 8, Rudra Mahesh Fatale (8), whose family was visiting relatives in Kalwadi area of Junnar, was fatally attacked by a leopard when he was playing in an open yard in front of his house.

On May 10, a 60-year-old woman Nanubai Sitaram Kadale died in a leopard attack, while she was working in a bajra farm at Pimpri Pendhar village in Junnar taluka.

Believing that these fatal attacks were carried out by leopards released by the forest department, some locals attacked forest officials at Pimpri Pendhar on May 10, leaving a woman forest guard injured.

Range Forest Officer (Otur) V S Kakade said, “Teams of the forest department team are working tirelessly to trap the leopards. We have trapped seven leopards between May 8 and May 15. Three leopards were trapped in Pimpri Pendhar on May 10 itself. The leopard that attacked humans has also been trapped. None of these leopards were released back into the forest. We plan to take these leopards to Nagpur. Also, action is still on and we aim to trap more leopards in the Junnar region.”

“However, rumours have circulated that the forest department released three leopards at the Sahyadri bridge in Yedgaon village. A local Youtube channel even carried a report based on these rumours. It caused unrest among villagers as they started believing that leopards released by the forest department have killed people. This led to an attack on the forest department team on May 10. We have lodged a complaint in this case at the Otur police station against the Youtube channel and several others for spreading rumours and causing obstruction in government work,” Kakade said.

Story continues below this ad

Forest officials said even on May 5, a woman was injured when a leopard attacked her when she was working at a farm in Lendesthal village in Junnar. 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 taluka. Another fatal attack in the region was reported on March 11.

A press release issued by the forest department on Thursday said that to trap leopards, as many as 40 cages and 20 camera traps have been installed in the area. Drone surveys are being done in the region to spot the leopard movements.

Forest officials are carrying out extensive patrolling day and night. A red alert has been issued in villages where leopard movements are rampant. Awareness about leopards is being spread among villagers when to venture into the fields. Villagers have been advised to burst fire crackers intermittently. Also, children and elderly persons have been advised not to step out of the houses alone.

“Besides taking preventive steps, we have also submitted a proposal to the government for castration of leopards to control their population in the region,” said Kakade.

Story continues below this ad

In the press release, forest officials have appealed to the citizens to avoid spreading and believing in rumours. Media persons should contact the forest department for confirmation of fact before reporting on the issue, the press release stated.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Loading Recommendations...

Mar 12: Latest News

Live Blog