Pune, 5th November 2025: Officials confirmed that a man-eating leopard suspected of killing three people within 20 days in Pune district was shot dead during a joint operation carried out by the Forest Department and a rescue team.
The attacks took place in Pimparkhed village and nearby areas, killing a 5-year-old girl, an 82-year-old woman and a 13-year-old boy since October 12. The leopard, believed to be 5–6 years old, had created panic in Junnar, Shirur, Ambegaon and Khed talukas.
Tension escalated after the death of the 13-year-old boy. An angry mob set fire to a forest patrol vehicle and a local base camp building. On Monday, villagers blocked the Pune–Nashik highway near Manchar for nearly 18 hours, demanding immediate action.
Amid growing public pressure and repeated leopard sightings, the Maharashtra government approved ₹11.25 crore for urgent measures to tackle the rising man–animal conflict in the Junnar region. The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister and Pune Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar in Mumbai.
Authorities said additional trackers, cages, night patrolling and awareness drives will be introduced to reduce further attacks in the affected talukas.
