Man-Eating Leopard Shot Dead in Kopargaon’s Yesgaon Fields After Fatal Attacks

A rogue leopard that killed a child and an elderly woman in Kopargaon’s Yesgaon area was shot dead by forest officers after a coordinated hunt involving sharpshooters, drones, and heavy community pressure.

Ahilyanagar | 17 November 2025: After a tense and emotionally charged week in Kopargaon taluka, forest officials have successfully shot dead the man-eating leopard that had terrorized local villages. The operation concluded late Saturday night following an intensive search involving specialised sharpshooters, thermal drones, and a large forest team.

The leopard had claimed two human lives in quick succession  first, a three-year-old girl in Yesgaon-Takli was killed on November 5. Then on November 10, 60-year-old Shantabai Ahilyaji Nikole was attacked and killed while working in her fields in Yesgaon.

Following these incidents, angry villagers staged a “rasta roko” (road blockade) on the Ahilyanagar–Manmad highway, demanding immediate action. Under mounting pressure, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests gave permission to “neutralise” the leopard.

A joint team  including forest personnel from nearby ranges, sharpshooters like Dr. Rajeev Shinde, and technology support from drones  conducted a sustained operation. They tracked the animal in Dharingaon (Kopargaon) and finally neutralized it when it charged.

Locals have expressed relief but also emphasized the need for further wildlife management, worried about other big cats in the area. Conservationists, meanwhile, are urging a balanced approach  ensuring human safety while protecting wildlife.

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