Maharashtra MLA Dons Leopard Costume in Assembly to Protest Rising Attacks and Government Inaction

Maharashtra's legislative assembly witnessed an extraordinary protest on Wednesday when MLA Sharad Sonawane appeared wearing a complete leopard costume, featuring an artificial fur coat and a feline mask.

Sonawane, who represents the Junnar constituency for Shiv Sena, chose this dramatic approach to highlight the increasing leopard attacks throughout Maharashtra. The legislator mentioned he has been attempting to address this serious issue for nearly a decade.

"An emergency should be declared for leopard attacks in the state. I have been raising this issue since 2014, but the government has consistently ignored me," stated Sonawane. "We need to establish rescue centers where these leopards can be trapped and properly contained."

The MLA further revealed, "In my constituency alone, 55 people have died in the past three months due to leopard attacks. I warned the government about this situation during the 2014-15 Winter Session."

This demonstration follows a recent incident where a leopard entered a residential area in Nagpur city, injuring seven people. Wildlife authorities and forest officials quickly responded by sedating the animal and relocating it safely.

In response to the incident, Maharashtra's Forest Minister Ganesh Naik visited the injured individuals in Nagpur.

"I met with seven patients, all of whom are now out of danger. We hope such incidents will not recur," Minister Naik said. "We are working to confine leopards within jungle areas. If any leopard accidentally enters residential zones, our forest department will alert residents. We have systems in place for this purpose."

The minister outlined several initiatives being implemented to reduce human-leopard conflicts:

Controlled Sterilisation Trial

"We have received permission for sterilisation, but only on a limited scale. We will evaluate its effectiveness over six months before requesting central government approval to expand the program," he explained.

Habitat Improvement

"We are planting trees that support animals which serve as prey for leopards, reducing the likelihood of leopards leaving forests in search of food," Naik added.

Technology Deployment

The state government has implemented AI-powered sirens that activate when leopards or even their shadows are detected.

Ahilyanagar, Pune, and Nashik districts currently experience the highest frequency of leopard-related incidents.

The Maharashtra government faces regulatory limitations in addressing this crisis due to the leopard's protected status. As a Schedule-I animal under the Wildlife Protection Act, options for managing leopard populations are restricted. The state has submitted a proposal to the Union government requesting reclassification of leopards to Schedule II of the Act.