Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A leopard sighting in the Walujwadi area on the eastern side of the Pune Highway in Waluj on Thursday night has sent shockwaves through the local farming community, creating widespread panic among residents and farmers alike.
The incident occurred at around 8 PM when Pravin Rajput was ploughing his field (gut no 284), owned by Maniklal Rajput, using a tractor fitted with a rotavator.
The farm is located in the Walujwadi and Argade Vasti settlements of the Waluj Khurd region, adjacent to a drain carrying overflow water from the Ramrai Minor Tank.
Without warning, a leopard appeared on the farm boundary, startling Rajput. News of the sighting spread rapidly, drawing other farmers to the spot. Armed with sticks and batons, they attempted to drive the animal away, while others burst firecrackers to scare it off from the settlement.
The dramatic encounter was captured on mobile phones by some of the farmers present, and the video quickly went viral on social media. The leopard was clearly visible in the footage, illuminated by the tractor's headlights in the dark of night.
Local citizens are now urgently demanding that the Forest Department conduct an immediate survey of the area and capture the leopard to prevent any untoward incident.
However, Forest Officer Sudhir Dhawan stated that no official information regarding the leopard sighting had been received, and urged those with details to come forward.