Maharashtra MLA Dons Leopard Costume During Assembly Session | Watch

Last Updated:December 10, 2025, 16:48 IST

Sharad Sonawane donned a leopard costume at the Maharashtra Assembly's Winter Session to protest against the rising incidents of leopard attacks.

Junnar MLA Sharad Sonawane donned a leopard costume at Maharashtra Assembly. (PTI)

In an unusual incident, independent MLA from Junnar, Sharad Sonawane, donned a leopard costume at the Maharashtra Assembly’s Winter Session on Wednesday to protest against the rising incidents of leopard attacks in the state.

While addressing a press conference in Nagpur, Sonawane donned a leopard costume to protest the rising number of leopard attacks in the state, particularly in Pune’s rural areas, including Junnar and Shirur. “"In my constituency, 55 people have lost their lives in the last three months due to leopard attacks. I had warned the government about this in the 2014–15 Winter Session," he said.

This came as seven persons were injured when a leopard attacked them in a residential area in Maharashtra’s Nagpur city on Wednesday morning. After being alerted, a forest department and wildlife treatment centre team reached the spot, tranquilised the feline and rescued it, an official told news agency PTI.

Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik on Tuesday said he had suggested that forest officials release goats in large numbers in forests to stop leopards from entering human settlements in search of prey.

“If four people are killed in leopard attacks, the state must pay Rs 1 crore (as compensation). So I told officials, instead of paying compensation after deaths, release goats worth Rs 1 crore into the forest so leopards do not venture into human habitats," the minister said.

He was responding to a calling attention motion raised by NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad in the Maharashtra legislative assembly regarding the alarming increase in leopard attacks in the state. Ahilyanagar, Pune and Nashik districts were reporting the highest number of leopard-related incidents, Naik said.

On December 9, at least five people were injured after a leopard attacked them in Nagaon in Maharashtra’s Raigad district. The leopard entered a residential area in Nagaon in the morning and attacked two persons, who managed to save themselves, an official said.

(with inputs from PTI)

News india Maharashtra MLA Dons Leopard Costume During Assembly Session | Watch

Read More