Nagpur: Panic gripped the Pardi area of Nagpur on Wednesday morning after a leopard strayed into the residential locality and injured at least half a dozen people before being captured following a high-risk rescue operation by the Forest Department.
The incident unfolded even as the Winter Session of the Maharashtra Legislature is in progress, and the matter is now expected to draw sharp attention from lawmakers amid rising concerns over the growing presence of wild animals in urban pockets.
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23 Jan 2026
According to Forest officials, the leopard is believed to have entered the neighbourhood during the night while searching for prey. At daybreak, the animal was spotted perched on the roof of a house, where it remained concealed. As the rescue operation began, the leopard repeatedly leapt across adjoining rooftops, heightening danger and stretching the rescue effort over several hours.
A team of trained responders eventually tranquilised the leopard and secured it using safety nets in a meticulously coordinated operation. This is the second leopard rescue reported from the same area, fuelling questions about recurring wildlife incursions and highlighting the urgent need for improved surveillance along Nagpur’s fringes.
Local police supported the Forest Department by controlling crowds and sealing off narrow lanes to prevent panic or interference during the rescue. Officials have begun assessing movement corridors and possible entry points from nearby forested zones to understand why big cats are straying deeper into populated regions.
With the Assembly session underway, legislators are likely to seek stronger preventive measures, including enhanced monitoring, tighter habitat management, and public safety protocols to avert similar incidents in the future.
