Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Panic spread in Tisgaon shivar, adjoining the Waluj Industrial Area, after a leopard was spotted on Friday (19th) morning. The sighting has created an atmosphere of fear among farmers and local residents. On receiving information, Forest Department officials rushed to the spot and assessed the situation.
Farmer Hiralal Suryavanshi owns agricultural land bearing Gut No. 193/94 in Tisgaon, where sugarcane is cultivated. At around 8.30 am on Friday, a construction worker present at the site noticed a leopard in the sugarcane field. When the worker attempted to click a photograph on his mobile phone, the leopard fled into the dense crop. The incident was immediately reported to the landowner and neighbouring farmers.
Following the alert, forester Prabhudas Hajare from the Daulatabad Forest Division, along with the animal rescue team comprising Sharad Dabhade, Nitesh Jadhav, Ravi Mandalik, Anand Waghmare and Pushpa Shinde, visited the site. Officials interacted with eyewitnesses and gathered information about the leopard’s footprints and movements.
The Forest Department issued precautionary advisories to farmers and residents, urging them not to work alone in fields, to move in groups during early morning and evening hours, and to create noise using bells or other methods to deter the animal. A search operation was also carried out using firecrackers to drive the leopard away.
Farmers and residents, including Dr Bharat Singh Salampure, Hiralal Suryavanshi, Babylal Suryavanshi, Suraj Suryavanshi, Ramlal Suryavanshi, Vicky Suryavanshi, Kishor Kshatriya and Mohansing Salampure, demanded the immediate capture of the leopard. The Forest Department has assured that the situation is being closely monitored and necessary action will be taken.