India, Nov. 19 -- A string of recent leopard attacks across Pune, Nashik and Ahilyanagar has prompted the Maharashtra forest department to give permission to sharpshooters to kill two big cats and place a third under a shoot-at-sight order besides holding urgent meetings and taking multiple steps.

The Centre too responded faster than expected, granting approval on Monday for the sterilisation of 115 leopards, beginning with a pilot to administer birth control to five animals in the Junnar division. While the state had approached the central government with the request in January 2024, the okay came only when pressure over human-animal conflict peaked ahead of local body polls.

Dubbed as mini assembly elections, municipal councils, zilla...