Pune: Leopard Attack on Four-Year-Old Boy Sparks Alarm in Junnar

Junnar, 11th March 2024: In a distressing incident on Monday evening around 6:30, four-year-old Ayush Shinde suffered severe injuries in a leopard attack in Umbraj, Junnar. Ayush Sachin Shinde was playing in his house’s yard when a leopard emerged from a nearby sugarcane field, attacking the young boy. Ayush’s parents raised an alarm, prompting the leopard to flee, leaving the injured child behind.

Ayush sustained serious injuries to his neck and head during the attack and is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Ale Phata. Upon receiving information about the incident, officials from the forest department visited Ayush and his family at the hospital to gather details about the attack. Ayush Shinde’s father contends that the incident occurred due to the forest department’s negligence.

This incident follows the recent tragic death of Mangesh Gunjal in a leopard attack in Kandli, Junnar amplifying the fear among the residents. Hiraman Shingote, the Sarpanch of Umbraj, highlighted the heightened presence of leopards in the area, especially during daylight hours, due to ongoing sugarcane-cutting activities. The surge in leopard sightings has instilled a sense of panic among the citizens.

Expressing concern, Shingote mentioned that the villagers had submitted a letter to the forest department last week, urging the installation of cages to capture leopards in Umbraj. He emphasized that the forest department bears full responsibility for the recent incident and called for the immediate placement of cages to address the growing leopard population in the area.