Pune Sees Huge Surge in Deaths Due to Leopard Attacks: Death of Junnar Woman Marks 7th Casualty in the Area

Junnar, which is known as the leopard-human conflict hotspot in the district, has seen seven deaths due to leopard attacks in the Junnar forest division since March this year.

On Wednesday morning, a 40-year-old woman was killed in a leopard attack in Junnar tehsil of Pune district. The deceased has been identified as Sujata Dere, and she was attacked by a leopard in a soybean field near her house at Mauje Pimpri Pendhar.

After the attack, her husband shouted for help and to make the leopard go away. However, the leopard dragged the woman into the field, and she succumbed to her injuries. The Forest Department has launched a search operation for the leopard. They are using drone cameras, and cages have been set up in the area.

Timeline of Human-Leopard Conflicts in Junnar

- April: An 18-month-old girl, Sanskruti Kulekar, was killed by a leopard in Shiroli Khurd village.

- May: An 8-year-old boy, Rudra Fatale, was fatally attacked by a leopard while visiting relatives in Kolwadi, Junnar.

- May: A 60-year-old woman, Nanubai Sitaram Kadale, was killed while working on her bajra farm in Pimpri Pendhar.

- June: An 11-year-old boy, Yash Suresh Gaikwad, was killed by a leopard in Dahiwadi village, Shirur taluka.

- August: A 55-year-old woman was killed in a leopard attack in Shirur taluka.

- September: A 9-year-old boy was killed in Junnar’s Tejewadi village.

- October: A 40-year-old woman, Sujata Dere, was killed by a leopard in a soybean field near her home in Mauje Pimpri Pendhar.