A 40-year-old woman was killed in a leopard attack in a village in Maharashtra’s Pune, officials from the state forest department reported on Wednesday. This incident marks the seventh death in the Junnar forest division due to leopard attacks since March.
“It is confirmed that the death resulted from a leopard attack. We have initiated a search and capture operation, deploying 40 cages and 50 camera traps in Pimpri-Pendhar and nearby areas. We are also using thermal drones to locate the leopard,” said a senior official from the Junnar Forest division.
The attack occurred around 6 am while Sujata Dhere, the victim, was working in a soybean field surrounded by sugarcane farms, where the leopard was hiding. The big cat misidentified Dhere as prey, attacked her, and dragged her for nearly 100 feet, resulting in severe injuries that ultimately led to her death. Following the incident, police and forest officials arrived at the scene to conduct an investigation, and Dhere’s body was sent for a post-mortem examination.
The incident took place in Pimpri-Pendhar village, located in the Junnar tehsil of Pune district.
Smita Rajahans, Assistant Conservator of Forests for the Junnar Forest Division, said that a massive search operation has already begun and efforts are also being made to raise awareness among the locals.
“The search and capture operation is ongoing in Pimpri-Pendhar village and surrounding areas. We have set up trap cameras, cages, and are utilising thermal drones to locate the leopard. We are also working to raise awareness among residents and have advised them to adhere strictly to safety guidelines,” Rajahans said.
Leopard attacks on the rise
This incident represents the second-highest number of human deaths due to leopard attacks in Junnar since 2001. The highest number was recorded in 2002, when 11 people died in such attacks within a year. While there had been no significant incidents reported since then, this year has seen a notable increase in both attacks and deaths.
“The leopard population in Junnar is on the rise. Most leopards reside between the Ghod and Kukadi rivers, and the sugarcane fields provide a safe habitat for them,” a forest officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told HT.
“Although efforts are underway to mitigate human-leopard conflict, strong policy decisions and community support are essential. The department continually advises residents to follow safety measures, yet many villagers tend to ignore these advisories,” the officer added.
In response to the previous incidents, the forest department captured 10 leopards from Pimpri-Pendhar and surrounding villages in May. These leopards were relocated to the Vantara Jamnagar zoo facility in Gujarat. However, the recent incident underscores that the leopard population remains high in the area. “As leopard cubs mature, they expand their territory, which may explain the influx of new leopards in this area. Confirmation will only come after we capture the leopard,” added another forest officer.