Forest officials have captured a leopard in Dahanu’s Tanashi Bhimarpada village after a series of livestock attacks, but are still examining whether the animal was responsible for two human deaths reported in the area over the past two months. The leopard’s identity will be established through physical features, including its rosette patterns, before any link to the earlier deaths is confirmed.
The Maharashtra Forest Department carried out the operation in the early hours of Wednesday after receiving information that another calf had been attacked on Tuesday night. Officials placed the calf inside a trap cage as bait and monitored the area using thermal drones, live-feed cameras and camera traps.
Personnel from the Boisar range, the Dahanu rescue team and the Wildlife Conservation and Animal Welfare Association took part in the operation. A dart gun was kept ready while teams tracked the animal, particularly after dark. The operation was conducted under the guidance of Dahanu Deputy Conservator of Forests Niranjan Diwakar and Palghar Assistant Conservator of Forests Ramanuj Bangad.
Range Forest Officer Amol Pimple said the critical phase began at about 12.30 am on Wednesday, when forest and rescue personnel moved livestock tied outside homes to safer locations within the village. The leopard later entered the trap cage in the early morning, allowing officials to secure it without reporting any injury during the capture operation.
The animal was initially taken to the Dahanu Rescue Centre. It is scheduled to be shifted to the Transit Treatment Centre in Thane for a medical examination and identification. Wildlife experts will compare its rosette patterns and other distinguishing physical features with available evidence to determine whether it is the same leopard suspected in the two human deaths.
Until that assessment is complete, the Forest Department will continue monitoring the area. The case highlights the operational challenge faced by forest officials in settlements located close to wildlife habitat, where livestock kept outside homes can draw large carnivores into inhabited areas. In this instance, securing livestock was part of the immediate response alongside tracking and trapping the animal.
The department has advised residents not to venture out alone at night and to move in groups while carrying torches. Children should not be left unattended outdoors during the night or early morning, and livestock should be kept in secure sheds.
Residents have also been asked not to chase or crowd around a leopard if one is spotted. They should maintain a safe distance and alert forest officials instead. Officials have separately warned residents against circulating AI-generated photographs and videos, saying misleading material could confuse rescue teams and delay field operations. Further action will depend on the medical examination and identification process at the Thane treatment centre.
