Alephata leopard sightings have increased across eight villages in eastern Junnar taluka, with two reported attacks on residents and repeated sightings near farms and settlements raising immediate safety concerns during the ongoing sugarcane-harvesting season.
The affected villages include Rajuri, Ale, Vadgaon Anand, Bori Budruk, Bori Khurd, Santwadi, Kolwadi and Agarmala. Residents have reported seeing leopards frequently, while incidents involving attacks on domestic animals have added to concern in the area.
In Bori Budruk, Rakhma Rambhau Shinde was reportedly attacked by a leopard on Tuesday night while returning home from work. The attack injured his leg. About 15 days earlier, a 17-year-old girl, Jayashree Pawar, was reportedly attacked and injured by a leopard in the village settlement area.
A separate incident in Vadgaon Anand has heightened concern among farmers. Three leopard cubs were found in the Pandharmala area while sugarcane cutting was under way. The discovery has raised fears among farm workers and residents because adult leopards may be present nearby, although the supplied report does not establish whether an adult animal was located or captured.
The sugarcane-harvesting period is increasing interaction between people and wildlife in the area. Leopards sheltering in fields may emerge as harvesting work progresses and move closer to human settlements. This has affected farmers, agricultural labourers and people travelling at night, according to the report.
The Forest Department has advised residents to avoid walking alone in the early morning and at night, including going outdoors for exercise during those hours. It has also asked people to take extra care while working in fields and when bending down, carry a stick while walking, and avoid sending children and school students outside alone.
Parents have been advised to accompany children travelling to anganwadis. The department has also urged residents to ensure that areas outside homes remain adequately lit. These measures are intended to reduce the likelihood of close encounters in settlements and agricultural areas.
The incidents have also triggered demands for a stronger departmental response. Snehal Shelke, a former Pune Zilla Parishad member, has called for increased patrolling in the affected villages and more cages to capture leopards, saying steps are needed to prevent future loss of human life. The supplied report does not state whether additional cages have been deployed or whether the Forest Department has confirmed a capture operation.
