Pune: Leopard Fatally Attacks 4-Year-Old Boy In Shirur

Shirur, 16th November 2024: Yesterday, a 4-year-old boy was fatally attacked by a leopard in Mandavgan Pharata, located in Shirur Taluka of Pune District. The boy, who had come to the village for Diwali vacations, was playing outside his house with his parents nearby when the leopard emerged from the sugarcane fields adjacent to the home. Efforts are currently underway to capture the leopard.

The boy has been identified as Shivtej Tembhekar. At around 6:30 am, while playing with his family, the leopard attacked him from behind and dragged him away. Despite the desperate attempts of his parents and grandfather to resist and save him, they were unable to prevent the tragic incident. The Maharashtra Forest Department’s Shirur Division was informed and promptly arrived at the scene. After searching the area where Shivtej was taken, they found him deceased. An autopsy was conducted at the Sub-District Hospital in Shirur.

To capture the leopard, 22 cages, 10 camera traps, and a thermal drone have been deployed. Villagers, who had raised concerns about leopard sightings in a recent meeting with the Forest Department, were given emergency response guidance and essential safety instructions to follow until the leopard is captured.