A leopard strayed into a crowded housing society in Thane district's Bhayandar area, sparking chaos and injuring several people before forest teams tracked and tranquilised it in a tense six-hour operation on Friday (December 19).
Chaotic intrusion sparks panic
In the early hours, a leopard entered the densely populated Parijat building along Talav Road in Maharashtra's Bhayandar East. The big cat attacked passersby outside before slipping into the residential complex, injuring around four residents in separate incidents. Frightened locals rushed indoors as viral social media videos captured the animal prowling through narrow spaces and staircases. Eyewitnesses described scenes of terror, with the leopard hiding in a room, triggering widespread panic in the area.
The injured victims, now stable, were swiftly rushed to nearby hospitals for medical treatment. Eyewitness accounts and visuals from the spot highlighted the sudden frenzy.
Multi-agency rescue mobilisation
Alerted by the incident, Navghar Police, Bhayandar fire brigade, Thane forest department, and Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) teams converged on the scene. The area, including the entire building, was cordoned off, and residents were instructed to stay indoors. Rescue personnel from RAWW (Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare), led by wildlife warden Pawan Sharma, provided standby support while monitoring the situation closely.
For over four hours, operations intensified as the leopard evaded capture inside the building. Teams used tranquiliser guns loaded with ketamine injections and deployed cameras to track its movements in real-time.
Tense tracking and cornering
Forest officials meticulously followed the leopard's path via CCTV footage and live camera feeds, driving it into a first-floor flat to isolate it from residents. This strategic herding prevented further attacks. After nearly six hours of gruelling efforts, SGNP teams cornered the animal successfully. "Our teams closely monitored the ground situation," Sharma noted, emphasising the standby rescue support.
Successful tranquilisation and aftermath
A precise tranquiliser dart finally subdued the leopard without harm to it or the rescuers. The operation concluded triumphantly, with the big cat captured and shifted to SGNP's Leopard Rescue Center in Mumbai's Borivali for medical checks and rehabilitation.
Maharashtra Minister Pratap Sarnaik confirmed the leopard's safety, stating it was en route to SGNP for treatment. Meera Bhayandar Municipal Commissioner Radha Vinod Sharma echoed this to India TV, calling the mission "successful" and noting that injured persons had been admitted to hospitals.
(With inputs from Hanif Patel)
