Premium

Cages at essential locations, blowing sirens: Leopard threat prompts safety measures for Koregaon Bhima anniversary event

Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi said the forest department will conduct a survey of the area before the January 1 event and install cages at the essential locations.

5 min readPuneDec 27, 2025 10:35 AM IST

The area, located in the vicinity of Shirur taluka of Pune district, has seen a sharp rise in human – leopard conflict, causing deaths of at least three people, including two children, in the last three months. (File)

Ahead of the January 1 programme to mark the 208th anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima, the state government is making plans not only for crowd management but also for tackling the menace of leopards.

Lakhs of Ambedkarites visit ‘Jaystambh’ at Perne village, near Koregaon Bhima, on the Pune – Ahilyaangar highway for the programme.

The area is located in the vicinity of Shirur taluka of Pune district, which has seen a sharp rise in human – leopard conflict, causing deaths of at least three people, including two children, in the last three months.

Besides, a leopard was also spotted twice in the riverside areas in Mundhwa suburb of Pune city this month. A leopard that was seen multiple times at the Pune International Airport was captured on December 12 after an eight-hour-long intensive multi-agency operation.

A huge number of people would be passing through Shirur and adjoining areas, to reach the ‘Jaystambh’, which is also located on the Bhima river side, surrounded by sugarcane farms. Many visitors travel through the area, even during the night of December 31 and January 1.

The region being prone to leopard movements, the state government has involved the forest department in the Koregaon Bhima battle anniversary preparations.

Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi said the forest department will conduct a survey of the area before the January 1 event and install cages at the essential locations.

Story continues below this ad

“Additionally, teams from the forest department would be deployed in the area. Nearly 40 leopards have been captured from the Shirur forest range in the last couple of months. However, people should not worry. Essential steps are being taken…,” added Dudi.

Gajanan Patil, Chief Executive Officer of Pune Zilla Parishad said, “Considering the human leopard conflict, we are involving experts from the forest department to make arrangements for the January 1 programme. Measures such as blowing sirens to prevent leopard from venturing into the area will be undertaken.”

Smita Rajhans, Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) said, “We have received calls from the police in connection with the January 1 preparations. Meetings would be held with concerned government officials in view of leopard movements in Shirur.”

“The leopards, by way of their natural behaviour, would stay away from crowds. But still, we plan to do extensive patrolling, even during the night and caution the people coming for the January 1 event. We will make people aware about the do’s and dont’s such as not sleeping in open spaces, avoid moving alone in riverside areas and sugarcane farms… We would take help from the gram panchayats of Koregaon Bhima and other villages in Shirur taluka to create awareness,” said Rajhans.

Story continues below this ad

On Friday, leopard management was among the key issues discussed during a meeting conducted at the ‘Jaystambh’, in the presence of Harshdeep Kamble, Principal Secretary, Social Justice and Special Assistance Department of Maharashtra. Kamble reviewied the preparations for the January 1 event.

Deepa Mudhol Munde, Commissioner of Social Welfare Department; Sunil Ware, Director General of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute (BARTI); Sandeep Singh Gill, Superintendent of Pune rural police; Deputy Commissioner of Police (Pune city) Somay Munde; Chandrakant Waghmare, Additional Chief Executive Officer (ACEO), Pune Zilla Parishad, along with Ambedkarite activists were present for the meeting.

Earlier, District Collector Dudi and Commissioner of Pune police Amitesh Kumar visited the ‘Jaystambh’ to plan the security arrangements and other facilities, such as water, health, sanitation and transportation, that are being arranged for the visitors.
The ‘Jaystambh’ is a military monument erected by the British government in 1821, in memory of its soldiers who fought against the Peshwas in a battle at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818.

As per a Dalit Ambedkarite narrative, the British Army comprising 500 soldiers from the Mahar community defeated a 28,000–strong force of Peshwas, in this battle. Lakhs of Ambedkarites visit the Jaystambh on January 1 calling it ‘Shaurya Din (victory day)’ to pay tribute to soldiers who, they believe, fought a war for freedom against the alleged casteism of Peshwas.

Story continues below this ad

Widespread violence was reported in Koregaon Bhima area on January 1, 2018, when a huge number of people had gathered for the 200th commemoration of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. One person had died and several others were left injured in the violence.

Since then, the Koregaon Bhima battle anniversary is considered a sensitive event and extensive preparations are done by the government and police officials to ensure it is held peacefully.

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

Tags:
leopard attack

Loading Taboola...