Why are Big Cats Invading Cities?

In the last four years, India's leopard population has seen an increase of 8% rising to over 13874 big cats spread across India. But in a disturbing new trend, these big cats are moving closer to human settlements in major Indian cities, leading to a surge in cases of leopard-human conflict. So why is this elusive creature slowly venturing out of the jungle and into urban settlements? What are the reasons behind this change in behaviour and what does this new phenomenon mean for conservation in India?