Amravati witnessed a tense situation on Tuesday when a leopard was discovered inside a godown in the densely populated Rampuri camp area, sparking a three-hour rescue operation involving forest officials, police, and municipal teams.
Initial Sighting and Response
The big cat was first spotted around noon by a worker at a godown owned by Mayor Shrichand Tejwani, which is currently rented out. As soon as the shutter was opened, the worker saw the leopard and immediately alerted the mayor. Forest officials, police, and the Amravati Municipal Corporation's veterinary team rushed to the site.
Crowd Control Measures
News of the leopard spread quickly, drawing hundreds of residents to the area. Locals claimed the leopard had strayed into a nearby shop, which was then shuttered to prevent its escape. Police deployed heavy security to control the growing crowd and ensure the safety of both the public and the animal.
Rescue Team Composition
The operation was led by Range Forest Officer Pradeep Bhad, supported by foresters Shyam Deshmukh, Firoz Khan, Amol Gaoner, Baburao Kherkar, and Gajanan Lande. Forest guards, Municipal Veterinary Officer Dr. Sachin Bondre, and wildlife volunteers, including Nilesh Kanchanpure of the Wildlife Awareness, Research and Rescue Welfare Society, also assisted. Gadge Nagar police, led by Police Inspector Gorakhnath Jadhav, managed crowd control.
Capture and Aftermath
After evading the rescue teams for nearly three hours, the leopard was finally tranquilized and captured around 6:30 pm from a closed country liquor shop. It was then shifted to the Wadali forest department for examination and further care.
