Cop reports spotting leopard in Gandhinagar
Forest department officials said that the reported sighting occurred between Sankruti Van and Raj Bhavan Road
A police officer has reported that he spotted a leopard in the large open space behind the state secretariat in Gandhinagar.
However, forest department officials have found no pugmarks, excreta, or a kill to establish the presence of the leopard apparently seen by the officer when he was returning from duty on Friday night.
Forest department officials said that the reported sighting occurred between Sankruti Van and Raj Bhavan Road.
In 2018, a leopard that had sneaked into the sachivalaya had entered the city from these ravines.
As for Friday’s case, the officer said he was relieving himself in the area at around 8.30pm when he saw the big cat.
A forest officer who wanted to remain anonymous said that it appears another animal was mistaken for a leopard. Otherwise pugmarks would have been found, this officer said.
He said that the department cannot place cages unless evidence is secured. In November 2019, there were rumours of a leopard prowling on the New Sachivalaya premises.
Cages were put in place for several days but there was no trace of the animal.
In January 2019, a leopard was caught from a village near Gandhinagar.
