Tragic Leopard Attack Claims Life of Six-Year-Old Boy in Sangli Village
A devastating incident unfolded in the quiet village of Biur, located in Shirala tehsil of Sangli district, when a six-year-old boy fell victim to a brutal leopard attack on Friday night. The young victim, identified as Rajveer Hanmant Patil, was playing innocently with his four-year-old sister, Kartiki, in front of their family home when the predator struck without warning.
Chaotic Scene as Leopard Drags Boy Away
According to eyewitness accounts from both forest department officials and local residents, the leopard suddenly emerged and attacked Rajveer, prompting his sister to scream in terror. The cries alerted the parents and neighbors, but the big cat had already seized the boy by the neck. In a horrifying turn of events, the leopard dragged Rajveer approximately 500 feet away into the agricultural field of a local farmer named Shankar Keru Patil.
Panic ensued as villagers scrambled to search for the missing child. Shankar Patil reportedly spotted the leopard with Rajveer in its mouth near a stream. When torchlight illuminated the scene, the startled animal released the boy and fled into the darkness. Despite being rushed immediately to the sub-district hospital in Shirala, Dr. Deepak Bansode declared Rajveer brought dead upon arrival.
Villagers' Fury Erupts Over Alleged Forest Department Negligence
The tragedy quickly escalated into widespread anger and frustration among the local community. Rajveer's father, Hanmant Patil, expressed profound grief and outrage, stating that repeated calls to the forest department went unanswered. "Leopards are being sighted in the area frequently, but the forest department turned a blind eye to it," he lamented. "We don't want compensation money. Give us our son back. Give us permission to kill the leopards."
Fueled by this perceived inaction, a mob of angry villagers descended upon the forest department office at Bhuikot Fort late Friday night. In a violent outburst, they vandalized the premises, breaking doors and windows and pulling down the iron gate. Police forces were deployed to control the volatile situation, and villagers refused to hand over the boy's body until forest officials arrived on the scene later that night.
Political Intervention and Official Responses
Shirala MLA Satyajit Deshmukh addressed the unfortunate incident, emphasizing that a show-cause notice would be issued to the concerned forest department officials. "I spoke to Forest Minister Ganesh Naik. I will try to get the concerned forest officials transferred or suspended," he stated. Deshmukh also urged villagers to refrain from taking the law into their own hands, assuring that sincere efforts would be made to deliver justice to the grieving Patil family.
Meanwhile, Forest Ranger Suresh Charaple of the Shirala forest department reported that their team visited the spot on Saturday morning. He appealed for cooperation from the villagers to complete the panchnama of the incident, noting that the compensation process would follow standard procedures. "No decision has been taken yet on whether to trap the leopard," he added, highlighting the ongoing uncertainty.
Heightened Fear and Lingering Threats
The incident has instilled deep fear among residents, compounded by reports that the leopard returned to the site around 11:45 PM on Friday, only to flee upon sensing the commotion. This recurrence underscores the persistent threat posed by the wild animal in the area, leaving the community on edge and demanding urgent action from authorities to prevent further tragedies.
