4-year-old boy killed in third fatal leopard attack in Pune district this year, forest department to set up trap cages

This was the third fatal leopard attack in the Junnar forest division and surrounding area this year. A spurt in instances of human-leopard conflict was already reported in the Pune district with four such incidents taking place at different locations between January and April this year.

The village residents staged a protest in the area, seeking action from the forest department and demanded that multiple trap cages be installed in the area to capture the leopards. A forest officer said patrolling was stepped up in the area after the incident and they are in the process of setting up trap cages.

“Initial information suggests that when the boy was playing near his house, a leopard suddenly emerged from the sugarcane field and dragged the boy with him. His grandfather, working in the field nearby, raised an alarm. Some people in the neighbourhood ran into the field to rescue the boy. After dragging the boy for a distance, the leopard dropped him, leaving him with multiple serious injuries to his head, neck and limbs. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead.” said Inspector Yashwant Nalawade of the Alephata police station.