**Fear Among Villagers Grows Due to Leopard Sightings in Vadner Dumala-Pimpalgaon Khamb Area**
An atmosphere of fear has taken hold among the villagers in the Vadner Dumala-Pimpalgaon Khamb area due to the free movement of leopards in the region. Frequent incidents of human attacks by these animals have left farmers and locals anxious about their safety.
In response to these concerns, a group of farmers and villagers, led by former corporator Keshav Porje, staged a dharna protest on Thursday, September 25, in front of the office of Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) G. Mallikarjun. The protesters demanded that all leopards in the vicinity be captured within five days. They warned, “We will catch the leopards and release them to the forest department” if concrete action is not taken promptly.
The protest took place near the forest officer’s office and lasted for about an hour and a half. During this time, the protesters raised slogans demanding security measures. Out of concern for the increasing dangers, farmers have started avoiding their fields, further affecting their livelihood.
Areas affected by increased leopard movement include Vadner Dumala, Pimpalgaon Khamb, Dadgaon, Deolali Camp, Lamroad, and surrounding localities. Alongside Keshav Porje, participants in the protest included Sunita Kothule, Aslam Maniyar, Jayant Gadekar, Amit Jadhav, Bunty Korde, Sudhakar Jadhav, and other concerned citizens.
At the conclusion of their protest, the villagers presented forest officials with a replica of a leopard as a symbolic gesture to emphasize the issue.
### Forest Officials Provide Assurances
In response to the protest, the forest department offered a written assurance through forest circle officer G. Mallikarjun. The statement outlined the following measures:
– Deployment of three forest teams from Nashik
– A rescue team from the TTC Rescue Department
– A team from Sangamner
– Experts from Borivali National Park for research support
– Arrangement of 20 additional cages for capturing leopards
The letter also noted that the current number of cages in the Nashik forest circle is sufficient, and necessary permissions have been sought from the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests in Nagpur. It was further mentioned that three leopards captured earlier have not yet been released back into their natural habitat.
Forest officer G. Mallikarjun addressed the protesters saying, “If my departure stops the leopard attacks, I am ready to leave Nashik.” Following these assurances, the protesters withdrew their demonstration.
### Ongoing Concerns and Demands
Despite these steps, fears persist among residents over the increasing number of leopards in the Nashik area. Villagers continue to demand that the Forest Department take concrete and timely actions to ensure the safety of people living in leopard-prone zones.
The situation remains tense as locals and authorities work together to find a solution that balances human safety with wildlife conservation.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/pune/nashik-fear-stricken-villagers-give-5-day-ultimatum-to-forest-department-to-catch-leopards