What was meant to be a joyful Rakshabandhan celebration turned into heartbreak for six-year-old Shreya when she tied a rakhi to her younger brother Ayush Bhagat’s lifeless wrist instead of celebrating his promised gift. The three-year-old was fatally attacked by a leopard on Friday night, August 8, in the Wadner Range Road area, on the outskirts of Nashik.
Family members said Ayush had been playing outside near their home around 8:30 pm. When repeated calls from his father went unanswered, panic set in. A frantic search began, and within minutes, blood traces were spotted in a nearby tomato farm. The family, joined by villagers, combed the area while one resident alerted the fire department.
Forest guard Anil Ahirrao reported that over ten forest personnel were dispatched for the nighttime search. Equipped with thermal drone cameras, the team detected the leopard in a field about 1.5 km from the Bhagat residence at 11:45 pm. Villagers rushed toward the sugarcane field, causing the big cat to flee.
Tragically, Ayush’s body was recovered shortly after, bearing severe injuries to his back. The devastating incident has left the community in mourning, with locals urging authorities to strengthen human-wildlife conflict prevention measures in the region.
Ayush’s untimely death serves as a painful reminder of the dangers posed by increasing leopard activity near human settlements, especially during the evening hours