Nagpur: A leopard that strayed into the Pardi area on Wednesday, December 10, injuring at least half dozen residents, was captured by Forest Department officials after an extensive rescue operation. The incident took place while the Winter Session of the Maharashtra Legislature is underway at the Nagpur Vidhan Bhavan, and the matter is likely to be raised by legislators amid growing concerns over wildlife intrusion in urban zones.

According to officials, the leopard is believed to have entered the locality during the night in search of prey. After daylight, the animal climbed onto the roof of a house, where it remained hidden until the rescue team arrived. As the operation started, the leopard continuously leaped across multiple rooftops, delaying the rescue and putting local residents at risk.

Forest teams used a tranquiliser and safety nets to finally subdue the animal after several hours of planning and execution. This marks the second leopard rescue from the same vicinity, raising questions over the frequency of big cats entering residential clusters and the need for enhanced monitoring along the city’s outskirts.

Local police assisted the Forest Department by managing crowds and blocking access to narrow lanes during the operation. Officials are now tracking wildlife movement patterns and assessing potential entry points from nearby forest belts.

With the state assembly session ongoing in Nagpur, representatives are expected to demand measures to protect residents from similar incidents and improve surveillance in sensitive areas.