Incidents of leopards attacking livestock and pets have increased in rural areas of Sattari taluka in the past few days, causing alarm among villagers.
Concerned residents have demanded that the forest department take immediate steps to control the leopard menace.
Two days ago, Suresh Gaonkar of Khodye village noticed that one of his calves was missing. After a prolonged search, the calf was found dead, and it was evident that it had been attacked by a leopard.
This incident caused panic in the village, as residents fear that repeated attacks on calves and dogs could soon pose a serious threat to human life as well.
Gaonkar stated that the leopard has been frequently seen roaming in Khodye and nearby areas over the past few days.
“The leopard enters residential areas late at night and attacks dogs and calves, making life unsafe for villagers,” said Gaonkar.
Following this incident, fear has spread across Khodde and the surrounding areas. Villagers have demanded that the forest department immediately captures the leopard that is creating terror in these villages.
According to villagers, the leopard has been frequently spotted roaming in and around the village and has reportedly killed several dogs so far.
When contacted, forest department officials said a forest team is closely monitoring the leopard’s movements in the area following complaints received from citizens.
“A team is studying the timing and pattern of the leopard’s activities. Once the movement is properly tracked, a cage will be installed and the leopard will be captured,” said an official.
