Pune: Lure of Compensation Leads to Rise in Fake Leopard Attacks
Pune, March 6 – The lure of compensation has led to a surge in false leopard attack claims across Maharashtra, with Pune district emerging as a hotspot. The latest case involved a sugarcane farm laborer from Junnar taluka, who claimed to have been attacked by a leopard on February 28. His injury prompted large-scale protests, leading to a three-hour road blockade on the Pune-Nashik highway. However, a subsequent investigation by the forest department revealed that the laborer’s wound was self-inflicted with a scythe, and his claim was declared false on March 5.
Leopard attacks are not uncommon in the region. In June 2024, Pune’s disaster management authority marked 233 villages across Junnar, Ambegaon, Daund, Khed, and Shirur tehsils as “highly sensitive” to leopard encounters. The Maharashtra Payment of Compensation for Loss, Injury, or Damage Caused by Wild Animals Act, 2023, entitles victims to compensation of up to ₹7.5 lakh for injuries, ₹25 lakh for fatalities, and ₹50,000 for crop damage. However, officials note a rising trend of fraudulent claims.
Assistant conservator of forests (Junnar division) Smita Rajhans stated that Bhor’s case raised suspicion due to the nature of his injury and the absence of leopard pug marks at the site. Medical staff at the hospital further confirmed the fraud when Bhor admitted to accidentally injuring himself.
Over the past year, the forest department has observed a sharp increase in fake claims in human-animal conflict zones. At least four such cases were uncovered in Junnar taluka alone in 2024. One notable instance involved a family in Daund tehsil that falsely reported a woman’s death as a leopard attack, which was later revealed to be a murder. Similarly, a case in Pimpalwandi village saw villagers claim a missing girl had been taken by a leopard, only for her body to be found in a well following an investigation.
Chief conservator of forests (Pune Circle) N.R. Praveen acknowledged that fake wildlife attack claims are not new but have increased due to two key factors—criminal cover-ups and the significantly higher compensation in Maharashtra compared to other states. The forest department has now begun conducting joint investigations with the police to verify claims. Pune Rural SP Pankaj Deshmukh confirmed that standard operating procedures are in place to ensure thorough scrutiny of all cases.
Assistant conservator of forests (Pune Division) Deepak Pawar stressed the need for awareness campaigns, stating that villagers are often unaware of the legal consequences of filing false claims. Authorities plan to educate communities on the repercussions of fraudulent cases to curb this growing trend.
