Leopard triggers panic in Pune, Forest Dept. officials step into rescue act

A two-year-old male leopard which triggered a scare on the outskirts of Pune at Navin Ahire village near the National Defence Academy, was finally rescued by the officials of the Maharashtra Forest Department and volunteers of RESQ, an NGO.

The feline was first sighted at a construction site in the village which is 10 kilometres from Pune at 6.30 a.m. and the residents informed the forest officials who reached the site at 7 a.m. What triggered the panic among the people of the area was a video posted showing the leopard.

The police stepped in to control the crowd, following which the rescuers tried to guide the animal towards the forest cover but failed. It was first spotted in a tin shed from where it moved to another one. After securing the place, a RESQ volunteer shot a tranquiliser dart to sedate it following which it was moved to the animal rescue centre in Bavdhan where it will be kept under observation for a few hours, said Pradip Sankpal, Pune’s Range Forest Officer.

It is suspected that the big cat had strayed into the village in search of food as stray dogs found there are easy prey for them.

This is the fourth incident of leopard sighting in Pune in the last six days.

NDA is situated in Khadakwasla area which is located at the foothills of Western Ghats’ Sahyadri range and known to be the habitat of leopards.