A three-to four-year-old female leopard was killed in a road accident on Trimbakeshwar Road near Maherwani Shivarat in the Anjaneri forest area late on Friday night. The leopard was hit by a speeding vehicle while crossing the main highway and died on the spot.
According to forest officials, the incident occurred around midnight when the leopard was attempting to cross the road. The driver of the vehicle fled the scene after the collision.
On receiving the information, a patrol team from the Forest Department rushed to the spot, seized the carcass and sent it to the Mhasrul Transit Treatment Centre (TTC) for a post-mortem examination. After the autopsy, the leopard’s body was cremated as per protocol.
Forest Range Officer Sumit Nirmal said the deceased leopard was about three to four years old. “The accident appears to have occurred due to increased wildlife movement on roads and the high speed of vehicles in the area,” he said. An accidental death report has been registered at the Nashik Forest Range Office, and further investigation is underway.
