Pune: After Fatal Leopard Attack, Forest Dept Installs Cages and Steps Up Surveillance in Shirur Village
Shirur, 22nd July 2026: The forest department has launched an intensive operation to capture the leopard that killed a five-year-old girl in Shirur taluka, deploying cages, camera traps, drones and special search teams in the area, while stepping up night patrolling.
The victim, Bhagyashree Sandeep Ware (5), daughter of migrant sugarcane workers, was killed in a leopard attack at Pimpalsuti village in the early hours of Tuesday. The incident occurred around 2.45 am when she was sleeping with her parents in a cattle shed adjoining their temporary dwelling.
Soon after the incident, Deputy Conservator of Forests Prashant Khade, Assistant Conservator of Forests Smita Rajhans, and Range Forest Officer Nilkanth Gavhane visited the spot to assess the situation.
Forest officials conducted a spot panchnama and sent the child’s body to the Rural Hospital at Nhavare for post-mortem. The process to provide immediate financial assistance to the bereaved family, as per government norms, has also been initiated, said officials.
As part of the search operation, the forest department has installed cages at strategic locations, deployed camera traps, carried out drone surveillance and intensified night patrols to trace the leopard.
The department has appealed to residents not to venture out alone at night, keep a close watch on children and immediately inform forest officials if the leopard is sighted. The department has also issued a toll-free helpline number — 1800 3033 — for reporting leopard sightings.
Officials said the department is treating the incident with utmost seriousness and has launched all necessary measures on a war footing to ensure public safety and capture the animal.
