Horse, sheep killed in suspected leopard attack in Shirur Kasar in Beed

Beed, Dec 14 (PTI) A horse and a sheep were killed in a suspected leopard attack in Shirur Kasar tehsil in Maharashtra's Beed district in the early hours of Sunday, officials said.

The incident took place around 1:30am in Fulsangavi, where shepherds from Bhigwan area in Pune district had camped with their livestock for grazing, they added.

Forest department officials who inspected the site said the possibility of a leopard attack cannot be ruled out and will be confirmed after the post mortem reports are received.

There are reports of leopard movement in the area for the past 15 days, the officials said.

"The animals were tethered in the field of farmer Subhash Dhakane when the horse and sheep were attacked. The wild animal later fled," shepherd Nathu Gopane said.

A local farmer said fields need to be irrigated round the clock due to the Rabi season, but the fear of leopards was hampering these activities, especially during night.

The forest department must install a cage to capture the animal and prevent further incidents, he added.

"Forest Guard Dadasaheb Joshi visited the spot and conducted a panchnama. He advised residents to avoid venturing out at night and, if necessary, to move in groups while carrying torches, sticks, and noise-making devices as a precautionary measure," an official said. PTI COR BNM