India, Nov. 3 -- The Maharashtra forest department (MFD) has issued an emergency shoot order to eliminate a leopard that killed a 13-year-old boy in Shirur area of Pune district on Sunday. The order - issued by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Wildlife, Sunday midnight - marks the first such instance in the Junnar forest division, a region long known for frequent human-leopard conflicts but where authorities have until now relied only on trapping and relocation.

The decision came after protests erupted in Pimparkhed (Ambevadi) village following the death of Rohan Vilas Bombe, who was attacked by the leopard around 3:45 pm while returning home. This was the second fatal attack in the same village in 20 days, and the fift...