Incidents of human injuries and deaths due to leopard attacks have been on the rise in Pune district in the past few years. Recently, two leopard sightings near Pune city have caused fear among residents.
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On Saturday, a leopard was captured on video crossing the road in Dive Ghat as two-wheeler riders passed by. This video went viral on social media, creating panic among travellers. In another video, a leopard was spotted in Katraj Ghat on Sunday. Two people travelling in a car saw the leopard near Aaryans World School in Bhilarewadi. They filmed the leopard sitting in the bushes before it walked away when the car's headlights fell on it. This sighting has created an atmosphere of fear among the residents of Katraj Ghat, including areas like Gujar-Nimbalkarwadi, Mangdewadi, and Bhilarewadi.
Meanwhile, the administration recently declared 233 villages in Junnar, Ambegaon, Shirur, and Khed talukas as 'Potential Leopard Conflict Zones' under sections of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. Additionally, the Forest Department is considering sterilising the leopards in the region to control their population. However, this is a central-level proposal and will take time to pass, said NR Praveen, Chief Conservator of Forests, Pune. He also shared that the department has purchased 10 acres of land from the Irrigation Department for ₹1.27 crore to accommodate additional enclosures for captured leopards, as the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre currently has a capacity of only 40 leopards.
