Leopards Kill Pet Dog and Bull, Attacks Cause Fear in Karad and Patan Talukas; Life of Mother-Daughter Duo Saved And More

The presence of violent animals has increased in the hilly and valley areas of Karad and neighboring Patan talukas, mainly due to a rise in leopard nuisance. Recently, two separate leopard attacks have heightened fears among local residents.

In Chaphal, Patan, a pet dog belonging to Sachin Venkat Shinde was killed outside his house by a leopard. The incident occurred on Monday night when the Shinde family was asleep. Around 1:30am, loud barking from dogs alerted Sachin Shinde, who then saw a leopard near his house. Despite initially scaring the leopard away with the help of family members, the leopard returned around 3:30am and took the dog away. The following morning, the remains of the dog were found near the house.

Another attack

On the same day, another incident took place in Palshi near Dhebewadi. A herd of cattle was returning from grazing when a leopard attacked, killing a bull on the spot. Farmers Kashinath Vitthal Lokhande, Ganesh Lokhande, and Gaurav Gholap were taking their animals back home when the leopard, which had been hiding in a bush, suddenly attacked. The farmers and youths, fearing for their lives, ran towards the village, leaving the herd behind. The next morning, they found the partially eaten remains of the bull. The incident was reported to the Dhebewadi office of the Forest Department, and a panchnama was conducted by forest ranger Rajesh Nalavde and forest guard Amrit Panhale.

These sudden attacks have created an atmosphere of fear in the villages of these two talukas. Villagers have raised concerns about the increasing intrusion of leopards into human settlements and the lack of patrolling by the forest department. There have been numerous reports of footprints of leopards, wolves, and other wild animals found in the outskirts of these villages.

The forest department has been requested to address the issue of wild animal intrusions promptly to ensure the safety of the residents. In the meantime, villagers remain on high alert, living in constant fear of further attacks.

Life of Mother-Daughter Duo Saved

In a dramatic rescue, a mother and her six-month-old daughter were saved from ending the lives on the Krishna River by quick-thinking citizens. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon, July 16, on the new Krishna Bridge near Karad, along the Guhagar-Bijapur National Highway, officials said on Thursday.

A 30-year-old woman from the Rukmininagar area of Karad had a fight at home before heading to the bridge with her infant. As she walked across the bridge, she reached the middle and began to prepare to jump into the river with her daughter. Fortunately, some alert youths and passersby noticed her intentions and intervened just in time. The mother, who was visibly distressed, was initially unresponsive to the attempts of bystanders to dissuade her.

However, persistent efforts by several elderly individuals on the scene eventually calmed her down and led her away from the edge of the bridge. The police were informed of the incident, and upon arrival, they contacted the woman's family. After a discussion, the police registered a complaint against the individual involved in the domestic dispute.

Conf for HC circuit bench in Kolhapur

The Kolhapur District Bar Association unanimously decided in a general meeting on Tuesday afternoon to host the meeting to press for the demand of having Circuit Bench of the Bombay High Court in Kolhapur. Lawyers from Sangli, Kolhapur, Solapur, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, and Satara will participate. President Adv. Sarjerao Khot announced that the next steps for the circuit bench movement will be determined at an upcoming conference. Efforts have been ongoing for 38 years to for the circuit bench in city. Khot emphasised that the agitation should focus on the present and future needs of these six districts. He urged everyone to participate in the conference.