A leopard has been sighted within a residential complex in Pune, marking the latest in a series of such encounters in the city. The incident occurred in the Keshav Nagar area of Mundhwa, raising alarms among residents and triggering an extensive response from the Forest Department.
CCTV Footage Confirms Leopard Presence
In the early hours of Thursday, December 19, 2025, the elusive big cat was captured on a security camera installed at a housing society. The clear footage was promptly shared with officials from the Forest Department, who verified its authenticity. This sighting adds to a growing list of leopard appearances across Pune over the past month, with previous reports from areas including Pune Airport, Aundh, Bavdhan, and Pashan-Sutarwadi.
Multi-Pronged Search Operation Launched
Following the verification, forest staff immediately launched a search operation in and around Keshavnagar. The strategy involves a combination of modern technology and traditional methods.
From Thursday evening, a thermal drone was deployed to scan the area, particularly useful for night-time detection. Additionally, trap cameras have been installed near a nala (drainage channel) with dense vegetation in the same locality, identified as a potential hideout.
Authorities are also meticulously reviewing CCTV footage from adjacent and nearby residential societies to map the animal's possible movement patterns.
Public Awareness and Enhanced Patrols
Recognizing the potential risk to the public, the Forest Department has initiated awareness campaigns to educate local residents on safety precautions. Furthermore, as a preventive measure, night patrolling will commence from tonight in Keshavnagar, Mundhwa, and surrounding localities.
Special teams have been constituted specifically for this purpose to monitor the situation closely and ensure a swift response if the leopard is sighted again. This incident comes just a week after the forest department successfully captured a leopard from one of the other reported locations in the city.
The repeated sightings highlight the ongoing human-wildlife interface challenges in Pune's expanding urban landscape, prompting authorities to employ a vigilant and technology-aided approach to ensure both citizen safety and animal welfare.
