Sharad Sonawane, the MLA from Junnar, created a stir in the Maharashtra legislative assembly on Wednesday by appearing in a full leopard costume, complete with artificial fur and a lifelike mask. The unusual gesture was his way of drawing urgent attention to the growing number of leopard attacks in the state, a crisis he says has been neglected for years.

The Shiv Sena lawmaker expressed frustration at what he described as prolonged governmental inaction. “We should declare an emergency over these attacks,” Sonawane said. “I have been warning the authorities since 2014, yet the situation remains ignored. Rescue centers need to be established, and leopards should be safely relocated to these facilities.”

Sonawane also highlighted the dire statistics from his own constituency, stating that

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