Thane, May 22: A major operation carried out by the Shahapur Forest Department in the forest belt of Ladha Chi Wadi–Kalbhonde in Shahapur taluka has taken a dramatic turn after villagers claimed that the leopard captured by officials is not the same animal responsible for the death of eight-year-old Krishna Agivale.
While forest officials celebrated the successful capture of a leopard after an intense 21-day search mission, fear and suspicion continue to grip the tribal hamlets of the region, where locals insist that the real “man-eater” may still be moving freely in the nearby forests and hill ranges.
Villagers dispute forest department claim
The controversy erupted after the Forest Department confirmed that the leopard trapped in the cage was a female weighing around 30 to 35 kilograms.
Villagers, however, alleged that the animal which attacked eight-year-old Krishna Agivale was a huge male leopard with a much larger body structure and an estimated weight of nearly 90 to 95 kilograms.
According to residents of Ladha Chi Wadi and the nearby Kalbhonde area, the leopard involved in the fatal attack had a visibly taller and more powerful appearance, unlike the female leopard now in captivity.
The tragic incident had occurred a few days ago when eight-year-old Krishna Agivale was reportedly attacked by a leopard near the forest settlement in Shahapur taluka.
The horrifying death of the child triggered panic across the region, forcing forest authorities to immediately launch a large-scale rescue and tracking operation.
Forest teams carried out 21-day operation
Following the attack, the Shahapur Forest Department deployed cages, trap cameras and drone surveillance systems across vulnerable forest patches and animal movement corridors. Officials continued the operation round-the-clock for nearly three weeks as the elusive predator repeatedly avoided entering the traps.
After 21 days of continuous monitoring and extensive efforts involving forest staff and wildlife trackers, a leopard was finally trapped inside a cage, leading to temporary relief among frightened villagers.
However, the relief soon turned into fresh anxiety after locals questioned whether the captured animal was actually the “man-eater” behind Krishna’s death.
Residents claimed that the female leopard caught by forest officials had previously appeared in camera footage installed in the region and was not known for aggressive behaviour towards humans. Several villagers alleged that the animal seen during and after the attack was entirely different in size and movement.
Demand for continued surveillance
The issue has now sparked widespread discussion across Shahapur and adjoining rural pockets, with many locals believing that the real leopard may have migrated from the dense forest corridors of Junnar, Ghatghar or nearby hill ranges before disappearing again after the attack.
Wildlife observers and villagers suspect that after attacking the child, the male leopard may have escaped through traditional forest routes connecting the hilly terrain, making it difficult for forest teams to trace its exact movement.
Despite the leopard capture operation being officially completed, fear continues to prevail in Ladha Chi Wadi, Kalbhonde and nearby settlements, especially among families living close to forest boundaries.
Parents have reportedly stopped children from venturing outside alone during evening hours, while villagers are demanding continued combing operations and stronger surveillance across the forest belt until authorities conclusively determine whether the captured female leopard was truly responsible for the fatal incident.
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Forest officials have so far only confirmed the capture of a female leopard and have not publicly clarified whether any scientific or forensic examination has linked the animal to the attack on Krishna Agivale.
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