• Source:JND
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Maharashtra: A 40-year-old woman was killed after a leopard attacked her while she was working in a soybean field in a village in Maharashtra's Pune, officials from the state forest department reported on Wednesday. The attack took place at around 6 am, when the victim, Sujata Dhere, was working in the field surrounded by sugarcane farms, where the leopard was hiding. The big cat misidentified Dhere as prey, attacked her, and dragged her for nearly 100 feet, resulting in severe injuries that ultimately led to her death. The incident took place in Pimpri-Pendhar village, located in the Junnar tehsil of Pune district.

"It is confirmed that the death resulted from a leopard attack. We have initiated a search and capture operation, deploying 40 cages and 50 camera traps in Pimpri-Pendhar and nearby areas. We are also using thermal drones to locate the leopard,” said a senior official from the Junnar Forest division, as quoted by an HT report.

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Following the incident, police and forest officials arrived at the scene to conduct an investigation, and Dhere's body was sent for a post-mortem examination.

Smita Rajahans, Assistant Conservator of Forests for the Junnar Forest Division, said that a massive search operation has already begun and efforts are also being made to raise awareness among the locals.

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"The search and capture operation is ongoing in Pimpri-Pendhar village and surrounding areas. We have set up trap cameras, cages, and are utilising thermal drones to locate the leopard. We are also working to raise awareness among residents and have advised them to adhere strictly to safety guidelines," Rajahans said.