A 19-year-old girl died after she was attacked by a leopard in Shirur taluka of Pune district Wednesday evening, local police and forest officials said.
This is the second fatal leopard attack in the area over the last two months. Forest department officials said they were stepping up patrolling and installing cage traps in the area.
As per the information given by local police and forest department officials, the incident took place around 6.30 pm on Wednesday in Jambut village of Shirur taluka, located around 85 kilometers from Pune city. Officials have identified the deceased as Puja Bhagwan Narawade, who belonged to a farmer family from the same village.
Inspector Sureshkumar Raut, in-charge of Shirur police station said, “Narawade was in the front yard of her house when the leopard attacked her from behind and dragged her into the sugarcane cultivation in the neighbouring plot. Some neighbours, who raised alarm and ran to her rescue, found her in the sugarcane field with grievous injuries on the neck.”
Deputy Conservator of Forest (Junnar Division) Amol Satpute said, “After receiving information about the leopard attack, a team was sent to the area. Patrolling in the area is being stepped up and cage traps will be installed for the leopard. We are assessing the situation and all possible measures are being taken.”
In the last week of August, a 38-year-old resident of the same area, who was initially reported to be missing, was found dead on Jambut Vadner road. A probe by forest officials had later revealed that he was killed by a leopard. Earlier in May, back-to-back incidents of leopard attack were reported in Shirur taluka in which three persons were injured.
