Pune, 13 November 2025: Pune district’s growing leopard-human conflict has prompted firm action from the Maharashtra Forest Department. During his visit to Pimparkhed village in Shirur on Wednesday, State Forest Minister Ganesh Naik directed officials to eliminate leopards that have been identified as “man-eaters.”
Naik said the leopard population in Junnar and Shirur has increased sharply, raising concerns of frequent sightings near villages. He added that if this continues unchecked, leopards could soon be seen roaming freely like stray animals. The minister stressed the need for strong measures to control their population and reduce conflict in Pune and Ahilyanagar districts.
Referring to a recent incident in which a 13-year-old boy was killed, Naik said the department had already eliminated a leopard believed to be responsible for an earlier attack. He instructed the chief conservator of forests, Jitendra Ramgaonkar, to take similar action against any leopard confirmed to have attacked humans in the future.
The visit came after several protests by villagers demanding government intervention. Naik met the families of three victims who lost their lives in leopard attacks since October 12 and assured them that one member from each bereaved family would be given a job in the forest department.
To prevent further incidents, Naik announced that Pune and Ahilyanagar districts will soon have advanced AI-based early warning systems, modeled after Chandrapur’s successful setup. These systems will help track leopard movements and issue alerts to villagers.
The minister also revealed that a proposal for leopard sterilisation has been sent to the Central government, aiming to reduce the rising population. As part of this plan, 50 leopards will be relocated to the Vantara facility, and the department is also considering relocation options in other states or even abroad.
A senior official from the Junnar forest department said no formal communication has yet been received regarding the proposal to send leopards to South Africa but added that the department is open to exploring it.
