Pune: Tragedy struck the village of Dahivadi in Shirur as an 11-year-old schoolboy, Yash Suresh Gaikwad, was killed in a leopard attack. The shocking incident has plunged the Devmala community into mourning.
Yash, a fifth-grade student, had gone to the sugarcane fields behind his home on Saturday (June 22) morning but did not return.
After a prolonged absence, Yash's family began searching for him, only to find his body in the sugarcane field. The revelation of a leopard attack has left the village in deep sorrow. The forest department was promptly alerted.
For the past few months, leopards have been increasingly spotted around Dahivadi village in Shirur taluka, an area characterized by dense vegetation and sugarcane fields. Forest Range Officer Pratap Jagtap quickly arrived at the scene.
In response to the attack, six cages and several trap cameras have been installed in Dahivadi to capture the leopard. The area will also be monitored using drones, and efforts to track leopard footprints are ongoing. Jagtap stated that the exact cause of death will be clarified by the post-mortem report.
Growing Fear Among Villagers as Leopard Attacks Claim Three Lives
Residents confirmed that Yash's death was due to a leopard attack. Shirur taluka has seen a rise in leopard activity, with three fatal attacks reported recently.
The increasing presence of leopards has created a climate of fear among the villagers. In response, awareness campaigns are being conducted throughout Shirur taluka to inform and protect the community.
