8-year-old Thane boy killed in leopard attack

Thane: An 8-year-old boy was killed in a leopard attack on Tuesday morning in the forested hills of Kasara in Thane district, triggering protests by villagers who alleged forest dept inaction despite repeated warnings about the animal's movement.The deceased was identified as Krishna Bhaga Agiwale, a resident of Kalbhonde village in the Kasara range. Police said the incident took place around 8 am when Krishna had gone to a nearby forested hill with two friends to collect wild fruit.Officials said the boy was plucking mangoes when a leopard, believed to have been hiding in dense bushes, suddenly pounced on him. The animal dragged him into the thicket before his friends could react. The two children ran back to the village and alerted locals.Villagers and family members rushed to the spot, but the child had succumbed to the attack by the time they reached the spot. Parts of the boy's body were mauled.Tensions escalated as locals refused to move the body from the spot for several hours, demanding the presence of forest officials and immediate action to capture the leopard. However, following assurances from authorities, the body was sent to a govt hospital for post-mortem. Residents alleged they had repeatedly informed the forest dept over the past few months about a leopard's movements in the area. Villagers said livestock had already fallen prey, but no concrete preventive measures were taken.The boy's mother, who was in Alephata in Pune district at the time, arrived later. Shahapur MLA Daulat Daroda expressed concern over rising incidents of leopard attacks in the region and said he would raise the issue with the authorities, seeking increased forest patrolling and the installation of cages to trap the animal.Daroda said the forest dept provided immediate financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the victim's family, while an additional Rs 2 lakh will be given as further aid. He also directed officials to take preventive measures, including installing protective fencing and cages in the area.He added that although the region is forested and leopards were seen in the past, sightings reduced in recent years. However, in the past few months, there was a rise in attacks on domestic animals, indicating the predator's return.Meanwhile, the forest dept increased patrolling in the area and said precautionary steps such as installing cages and protective barriers will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future. Villagers demanded swift compensation and permanent deployment of forest guards to ensure safety.
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