Leopard Attack in Pune: A Tragic Death Highlights Urgent Need for Human-Wildlife Conflict Solutions
The quiet village of Pimparkhed in Pune’s Shirur tehsil is gripped by grief following a tragic leopard attack that claimed the life of a five-year-old girl. This incident underscores the escalating human-wildlife conflict in the region and has ignited urgent demands for more effective prevention measures.
Details of the Tragic Leopard Attack
On the morning of October 12, five-year-old Shivanya Bombe was on a simple errand, carrying water to her grandfather who was working in a field just 200 meters from her home. In a sudden and brutal ambush, a leopard lurking in an adjacent sugarcane field leaped out and attacked the child. The animal caught Shivanya by her neck and attempted to drag her into the dense crops.
Her grandfather, Arun Bombe, fought desperately upon hearing her screams and managed to pry her from the leopard’s grip. Despite being rushed to multiple hospitals, Shivanya succumbed to her injuries. This heart-wrenching event marks the third fatal leopard attack in Pune since April and the seventh in the Pimparkhed and Jambut village area over recent years.
Official Response and Villagers’ Concerns
Forest department officials, including Range Forest Officer Nilkanth Gavhane, have initiated a response. “We have collected swab samples for analysis and are installing 11 cages and camera traps to capture the animal,” Gavhane stated, adding that compensation would be provided to the family.
However, the family revealed this was not an isolated encounter. They claimed that just days before, Shivanya’s father had a narrow escape from a leopard, and the same animal had killed their cattle 10-15 days prior, a incident they had reported to forest officials. This pattern points to a persistent and unresolved threat, leaving villagers feeling vulnerable and demanding more immediate, concrete action from authorities.
The Bigger Picture: A Growing Human-Leopard Crisis
The problem extends far beyond this single village. Former MP Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, who visited the grieving family, highlighted the severity of the situation. He estimates there are around 1,000 leopards in the Junnar forest division and lamented the lack of a “strong policy decision” from the government, including the non-approval of a leopard sterilisation program.
Echoing these concerns, Shirur MP Amol Kolhe stated, “We have demanded that the human-leopard conflict be declared a state-level disaster.” He also mentioned ongoing proposals for leopard relocation to Vantara and a sterilisation project as potential long-term solutions.
A Recurring Nightmare in the Region
This is not an isolated incident. The region has witnessed several similar tragedies:
- On September 24, a six-year-old boy, Siddharth Pravin Kedari, was killed in Junnar tehsil.
- On April 25, an 82-year-old woman, Laxmibai Bhoite, was killed in Shirur tehsil.
An Impending Crisis with Harvest Season
The situation is poised to become more critical. With the sugarcane harvesting season approaching, leopards are increasingly likely to seek refuge in the tall, dense fields, bringing them into closer and more dangerous proximity with villagers. This seasonal pattern signals that without decisive intervention, the risk of further leopard attack in Pune districts is set to rise in the coming months.
