Dangerous Leopard Captured After Five-Hour Chase in Nashik; Nine Injured in Maharashtra's Growing Human-Wildlife Conflict

The forest department in Maharashtra's Nashik successfully captured a leopard after a tense five-hour pursuit.

During the dramatic chase, nine people sustained injuries, including two forest department personnel and seven local residents. The incident occurred in Nashik's Mahatma Nagar area, with victims currently receiving hospital treatment for their wounds.

Several injured individuals suffered deep lacerations on their backs showing clear leopard paw marks, while others sustained injuries to their hands and faces.

CCTV footage captured the leopard prowling through a residential neighborhood as forest officials attempted to tranquilize it to prevent further casualties. Video also showed an injured forest department official with facial wounds being escorted from the scene.

After hours of effort, authorities successfully tranquilized the leopard and transported it away on an improvised stretcher. Onlookers gathered around the sedated animal, with many attempting to take photographs with their mobile devices.

Speaking from his hospital bed, one victim told NDTV, "I was returning home from work when I heard people shouting about a leopard. It suddenly attacked and struck me with its paw."

Another injured person recounted, "I had gone to see what was happening when it attacked me. The incident occurred around 3:00pm." A female victim added, "The leopard suddenly attacked me from behind, leaving me with a deep wound on my hand."

In a separate incident in neighboring Pune district, a leopard lunged at a two-wheeler on Wednesday evening in Otur village, Junnar taluka. CCTV footage of this attack has spread widely across social media platforms.

Additionally, in Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar district, a 9-year-old boy named Rajveer Kotkar was attacked by a leopard in Islak village. The attack happened around 6:30 pm outside his home, resulting in serious injuries to his neck and chest. The boy was promptly admitted to a private hospital for treatment.

During the attack, Rajveer's father started their car and honked the horn, causing the leopard to flee the scene.

This marks the second major incident in the area within two days. Just two days prior, a five-year-old girl lost her life in a leopard attack in Kharekerjune, a village near Islak.

In response to these recurring leopard attacks, the state government has allocated ₹11.25 crore to implement immediate rescue and safety measures. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar stated this initiative aims to prevent further human casualties and foster peaceful coexistence between residents and wildlife.

The forest department has been directed to establish 20 specialized rescue teams equipped with 500 cages, 20 tranquilizing guns, 500 trap cameras, 250 live cameras, and other advanced equipment necessary for addressing the increasing human-animal conflicts in the Nashik-Pune region. These teams will include trained shooters, rescuers, and medical support staff, equipped with rescue vehicles and surveillance systems to monitor leopard movements in human settlements.