Shirur MP Amol Kolhe called for government-level policies to control leopard reproduction on Tuesday after a four-year-old boy fell victim to a leopard attack in Pune district's Junnar taluka.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Kolhe wrote, "When unfortunate and painful news of human-leopard conflict emerges, it underscores the need for government-level policies to control leopard reproduction! I am continuously raising this issue in Parliament."
He also expressed condolences after the tragic death of the boy, Shivansh Bhujbal, saying, "The death of Shivansh Bhujbal in a leopard attack is very unfortunate and painful. May the Bhujbal family and their relatives find the strength to recover from this tragic event."
According to forest officials, the boy was playing when the leopard pounced on him and dragged him into a nearby sugarcane field.
"The incident occurred near Ale village while the child's grandfather was working on a farm nearby. The leopard seized the boy and took him into the sugarcane fields. Villagers immediately sprang into action, chasing the leopard for approximately 100 meters. The predator eventually dropped the child before vanishing into the field. Despite being rushed to the hospital, the boy tragically succumbed to injuries sustained on his face, neck, and head," said forest officials.
This marks the third fatality attributed to leopard attacks in the Junnar forest division this year.
