A fresh claim of a leopard sighting near Ramnadi in Bavdhan early Tuesday morning triggered a large public rush, which subsequently hampered search operations conducted by forest officials. The officials have now made an urgent appeal to citizens to refrain from gathering at spots where leopard movement is suspected.
Sequence of Events and Initial Search
The alert came in the early hours of Tuesday, March 26th. Former corporator of the area, Dilip Vede-Patil, stated that he received a call from a resident who allegedly saw a leopard crossing the Ramnadi stretch near a bridge, followed by two dogs. The resident reported hearing a dog yelp soon after, before losing sight of the big cat.
Reacting swiftly, a team from the RESQ Charitable Trust (RESQ-CT), assisting the forest department, along with officials, reached the spot. Neha Panchamiya, founder of RESQ-CT, detailed their efforts. "We spent over three hours there but found no pugmarks or any other trace of the animal," she said. She highlighted the immediate challenge: a growing crowd of curious onlookers. "When our team began checking the nullah for pugmarks, people started gathering, assuming we had located the leopard, although we were only looking for signs."
Officials' Appeal and Safety Concerns
Pratap Jagtap, Range Forest Officer with the Pune forest department, confirmed the three-hour search operation. He expressed serious concern over the public's reaction. "A huge rush gathered while we were searching. We appeal to people not to crowd such locations — it affects search operations and can create a risky situation," Jagtap told TOI.
He explained the inherent dangers. Leopards typically avoid human contact and prefer to retreat quietly. However, a dense, excited crowd can corner or panic the animal, potentially triggering an impulsive defensive charge if the leopard feels trapped. "This leopard has not harmed anyone so far. If it is moving through the area naturally, allow it to exit without disturbance. Crowding only heightens risk for both people and the animal," he cautioned.
Context of Recent Sightings and Resident Account
This incident follows a confirmed leopard sighting after midnight on Monday off the NDA-Pashan Road. That sighting came just a week after a leopard was captured on CCTV footage near Sindh Society in Aundh. Forest officials have not yet confirmed if it is the same animal in all instances, as they lack clear footage of the recent leopard to compare its unique rosette patterns with the Aundh sighting.
Residents of Vallonia Society in Bavdhan Khurd identified the woman who reported the latest sighting as living in their community. Nidhi Bhatia, a fellow resident, shared the woman's account. "She had stepped out after completing her morning puja rituals and went to the bridge to pour the ritual water into the Ramnadi. That is when she said she saw the leopard before it moved into the wilderness," Bhatia explained. The eyewitness chose not to speak to the media, even anonymously.
Despite the lack of physical evidence, the report—combined with the earlier confirmed sightings—was enough to draw a significant number of people to the riverbank from early Tuesday morning. The reported location is near a nullah-like stretch of the Ramnadi in Bavdhan, close to the highway. With this new alert, surveillance teams will now include this spot in their monitoring efforts.
