Kopargaon Leopard Attack: Woman Killed in Leopard Attack; Angry Citizens Block Highway for Six Hours
Two Deaths in Five Days Trigger Public Outrage; Protest Withdrawn After Shoot Order Issued for Leopard
Kopargaon (Ahmednagar District): A tragic leopard attack in Yesgaon village of Kopargaon taluka claimed the life of a woman, Shantabai Ahilya Nikole (age 60), on Monday morning. The incident occurred around 10 a.m. while she was cutting grass in a field. Enraged by the recurring leopard attacks, local residents staged a rasta roko (road blockade) on the Nagar–Manmad highway for nearly six hours. The protest was called off only after the administration issued an official order to shoot the man-eating leopard.
This was the second fatal leopard attack within five days near Kopargaon, sparking intense anger among residents.
Local leaders including MLA Ashutosh Kale and former MLA Snehalata Kolhe immediately contacted Forest Minister Ganesh Naik, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, and Guardian Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, demanding urgent permission to kill the rogue leopard.
Earlier, on Wednesday, a four-year-old girl named Nandini Premraj Chavan was killed in a leopard attack near Takli Phata, where her parents were sugarcane harvesters. The death of Shantabai within days of that incident has heightened fear and tension in the region.
During the protest, villagers declared they would not withdraw until the government issued a shoot-at-sight order. After the official confirmation was received, the protest ended peacefully.
Local leader Vivek Kolhe, chairman of Sanjivani Sugar Factory, criticized forest officials for their inaction. “Five days ago a child was killed—what measures have you taken since? How many meetings were held? How many traps do you have? Show us the proceedings,” Kolhe demanded.
Kolhe also revealed that there are an estimated 500–600 leopards in Ahmednagar district, leading to widespread panic. Children have stopped going to school, and laborers are refusing to work in farms or orchards due to fear. Fruit growers cultivating guava, chikoo, coconut, and mosambi are also struggling to find workers for harvesting.
Farmers already suffering from unseasonal rains now face an additional crisis due to the leopard menace.
