According to government data, there are 1,300-1,500 leopards in the Pune district. Image for representation purposes.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Following the rise in the leopard attacks in Pune and Ahilyanagar districts, Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik on Wednesday (November 12, 2025) said that “a man-eater leopard should be shot at sight”.
Since the three deaths in the month of October, the Maharashtra government has executed a set of measures to bring the situation under control at the State level and also sent a proposal for a sterilisation campaign to the Centre to address the issue.
Calling the government vigilant of the situation, Mr. Naik said, “Shoot the leopard on the spot if it has become a man-eater. We cannot be silent spectators to the hostile environment created due to rampant leopard attacks.”
Mr. Naik also argued that if the leopards are not sterilised, then these animals will roam like dogs in the residential area. According to government data, there are 1,300-1,500 leopards in the Pune district.
“We will install 200 cages immediately and procure 1,000 additional cages to trap the leopard and relocate it to deep forests. Also, we are in touch with Vantara authorities and Forest department representatives of other States, discussing the possibility of transferring leopards,” Mr Naik said, adding we are also working on inducting artificial intelligence and satellite images to issue alerts to keep people informed about leopard movements.
On November 2, the villagers, in rage, set fire to a forest department patrol vehicle and a base camp building after a leopard killed a 13-year-old boy in Pune’s Shirur taluka. This was the third death in such a case.
The deceased in the first two incidents were a five-year-old child and a 70-year-old man, triggering outrage in the State. Since then, a meeting of the forest department was held to discuss the matter. The issue was also raised in the cabinet meeting.
Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis highlighted that a proposal had been sent to the Centre seeking permission to kill the leopard, which had become a human eater, under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Killing of wild animals is prohibited, implement a sterilisation programme, and capture and relocate leopards.
Published – November 13, 2025 08:21 am IST
