Pune: A one-and-a-half-year-old girl died after being attacked by a leopard in Shiroli Khurd village. The incident took place around 5 am on Thursday and the girl who died in the attack has been identified as Sanskruti Sanjay Kolekar. The incident has triggered panic in Junnar taluka and triggered angry reactions among residents.
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In the field of farmer Sampat Keru More in Shiroli Khurd, shepherd Sanjay Kolekar had set up a sheep's nest. Around 5 am on Thursday, when the shepherd was sleeping, the leopard attacked and dragged the little girl into the field. On realizing this, the shepherd raised an alarm and informed the residents. Forest department officials, residents, and the rescue team searched and found some remains of the girl's body on the embankment of Subhash Thorat and Vishwas Jadhav's sugarcane field around 8 am.
Satyasheel Sherkar, chairman of Shri Vignahar Factory, visited the spot and consoled the family of Sanjay Mohan Kolekar. He demanded immediate capture of the cannibal leopard.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer Ravindra Chaudhary, Forest Range Officer Kakade, Forest and Police Department personnel, rescue team, Subhash More of Shiroli Khurd, Arun More, Vikram More, Santosh Somoshi, Vishwas Jadhav, Prashant Thorat, Rohidas Thorat, Namdev Dhomse, Kerubhau Dhomse, Sampat More, Kailash More, Sandeep Dhomse, Rajaram Dhomse, Pradeep Thorve and other villagers were present on the spot.
There will be a big struggle: Benke
MLA Atul Benke visited the spot and directed the forest department to deploy drones, patrolling and cages immediately to capture the man-eating leopard at the earliest. "Priority should be given to how to get financial assistance to the Kolekar family as soon as possible by conducting a site panchnama. Lights should be provided during the day in leopard-prone areas of Junnar taluka. Also, the government should know where there is a proposal in the government court to capture leopards and sterilize them." MLA Benke warned that if these leopards are not permanently managed, there will be a big struggle between the farmers against the government and the forest department in the future.