A leopard attack injured a two-wheeler rider near a Zilla Parishad primary school in Bori Budruk, Junnar taluka, on Tuesday night, prompting a visit by Forest Department officials and renewed concern among residents travelling through the area after dark.
Rakhma Rambhau Shinde was returning home from work on a motorcycle when the leopard, reportedly hiding near Shinde Mala close to the school, suddenly attacked. The incident took place at around 7 pm on October 27. Shinde suffered an injury to the leg and was taken to Narayangaon for treatment, according to a report by Sakal.
The attack occurred as Shinde was travelling through an area where residents have reported leopard movement. The location near a primary school adds a public-safety concern because the surrounding settlement is used by children, farmers, women and other residents moving between homes, farms and local facilities.
Forest Department officials Ganesh Bagde, Somanath Bhalerao, Shubham Bhor, Santosh Kutal and Roshan Bhor visited the site after receiving information about the incident. The officials inspected the location following the attack.
Residents in Bori Budruk said the incident had created fear in the area. Farmers, women, children and people travelling at night are particularly concerned because of the reported presence of the leopard near the settlement. Residents have called for increased patrolling and measures to manage the animal’s movement in the area.
The incident places renewed attention on how rural settlements and public facilities in Junnar’s agricultural landscape are responding to recurring encounters between people and leopards. The immediate response recorded so far has been a site inspection by the Forest Department, while residents are seeking increased patrols and further action to prevent another attack.
