Leopard enters posh Panchkula home, 2nd sighting in a week
A joint team of the wildlife department and local police rushed to the scene, cordoning off the area and advising residents to remain indoors for their safety. Despite several hours of effort to capture the animal, the leopard managed to retreat into the nearby wild area around 5 pm.
Fear gripped residents of Panchkula’s Sector 6 on Saturday afternoon as a leopard entered a residential property. The big cat was captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, roaming in the courtyard of the house, before jumping over a boundary wall into an adjacent property around 1.30 pm. A joint team of the wildlife department and local police rushed to the scene, cordoning off the area and advising residents to remain indoors for their safety. Despite several hours of effort to capture the animal, the leopard managed to retreat into the nearby wild area around 5 pm.
This incident follows close on the heels of another sighting in the Morni Hills. On Thursday night, a leopard entered the courtyard of a house in Dabla village, targeting a pet dog. The family was alerted by the dog’s persistent barking. When the owner, Narata Ram, and neighbours started shouting in panic, the leopard retreated into the forest.
Wildlife inspector Surjeet Singh explained that leopards often stray into residential areas in search of easy prey like dogs or calves. He noted that dense fog during this season frequently causes the animals to lose their way and wander into human settlements. To address the rising concerns, authorities have announced increased patrolling and monitoring in areas adjacent to the forest to prevent further human-wildlife conflicts and ensure the safety of the public.
Panchkula is home to two prominent wildlife sanctuaries: Bir Shikargah Wildlife Sanctuary, located on Morni Road, and Khol Hi-Raitan Wildlife Sanctuary, also located in close proximity.
According to Rajender Prasad, the divisional wildlife officer (DFO) of Panchkula, the leopard population in the region has seen a substantial increase in recent years. Estimates suggest there are now approximately 180 leopards in the area, a figure believed to have grown by nearly one-third. However, the exact population count will only be confirmed following the official census scheduled for next year.
The DFO noted that the local forest terrain serves as an ideal natural habitat for leopards due to its favorable environmental conditions. While these big cats occasionally stray into nearby residential areas, he assured that the wildlife department teams are always prepared to take swift action to capture and safely relocate them.
Fear swept through Panchkula’s Sector 6 as a leopard entered a residential property on Saturday, captured on CCTV before escaping into the wild. A joint wildlife and police team cordoned off the area for safety. This follows a recent sighting in Dabla village. With a growing leopard population, authorities plan increased patrolling to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts.