India, March 2 -- Facing a shortage of funds, the Maharashtra forest department has requested funds from the District Planning and Development Committee (DPDC) of Nashik to step up efforts to capture leopards in and around the district before the upcoming Kumbh Mela. The move aims to prevent any untoward incidents, as thousands of devotees are expected to gather in the city for the religious festival.

The forest department's actions come at a time when in the first two months of this year alone, two people have died and several others have been injured in leopard attacks across Nashik district. In 2025, 10 people died in such attacks in Nashik district alone and the tally of deaths rose higher with cases in other parts of Maharashtra.

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