Pune: Fear has gripped the residents of Junnar Taluka as leopard attacks continue to occur frequently.

On Tuesday evening, a 24-year-old youth, Sanket Vasant Naykodi, narrowly escaped an attack by a leopard near Shiroli Khurd village while riding his motorcycle to deliver milk.

The incident occurred around 6:30 to 7:00 PM when the leopard attempted to pounce on Sanket near a stream by Jadhavwasti.

The attack failed due to the speed of his motorcycle, but the leopard began chasing him. Sanket managed to increase his speed and escape the chase after a child on the road raised an alarm.

The leopard stopped as people began gathering, eventually retreating into nearby fields.

Sanket suffered minor injuries to his leg from the leopard’s claws during the chase.

Forest department officials arrived at the scene shortly after being informed and took Sanket to the government hospital in Junnar for treatment. They also set a trap to capture the leopard.

Leopard attacks have become increasingly common in the area, with some incidents leading to fatalities. A few months ago, a shepherd’s daughter was abducted by a leopard from the same village. Villagers are now urging the forest department to take swift action to capture the animal and ensure their safety.

The Bhimashankar Cooperative Sugar Factory, operating in the Ambegaon and Shirur regions, has taken a significant step by filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Mumbai High Court to address the increasing number of leopard attacks.

The PIL, seeking government action for the sterilization of leopards, was filed under the guidance of Maharashtra's Cooperation Minister and founding director of the factory, Dilip Walse Patil, and was formally announced during the factory’s annual general meeting.