Amid a surge in leopard attacks in Pune district, villagers in Pimperkhed, Shirur taluka, have resorted to unusual safety measures. They are wearing belts or collars fitted with sharp nails around their necks while working in the fields and have installed iron grills around their homes for protection. Some households have also set up electric fences as an additional precaution.

Residents say frequent leopard sightings and recent attacks have made routine outdoor activities, especially in the early morning and late evening, extremely risky. Villager Vitthal Rangnath Jadhav told ANI that leopards are spotted almost daily in the area. He shared that his mother was killed by a leopard a month ago, and earlier, a young girl also fell victim to an attack.

Jadhav said, “We wear these collars to protect ourselves from leopards. They can appear at any time, and farming is our only source of livelihood. We cannot stay home in fear. One month ago, my mother was dragged about a kilometre into the sugarcane fields by a leopard. Everyone in the village is terrified, which is why we wear these collars whenever we step outside. I urge the government to take action to address this issue.”