According to a senior forest department official, the TTC team received a distress call around 6.15 am
© Dhananjay KedkarAccording to a senior forest department official, the TTC team received a distress call around 6.15 am
A leopard entered the densely populated Shiv Nagar area of Pardi in Maharashtra's Nagpur district on Wednesday morning and injured seven residents, one of whom is in critical condition and has been admitted to the intensive care unit of a local hospital.

The animal was later captured by officials from the Transit Treatment Centre (TTC), located in the Seminary Hills area, after a challenging operation.

According to a senior forest department official, the TTC team received a distress call around 6.15 am. It is suspected that the leopard entered the locality during the night and attempted to escape after sunrise. In its effort to find an exit, it attacked several people. Eventually, the leopard took shelter in a narrow space near a house where a cooler was kept.

Due to poor visibility and the congested surroundings, tranquillising the animal proved difficult, and two darts had to be fired by the team before the leopard could be sedated and captured. The leopard has been kept at the TTC for further treatment and observation.


The leopard has been kept at the TTC for further treatment and observation. The leopard has been kept at the TTC for further treatment and observation.

During the operation, the leopard tried to attack members of the TTC team, the senior official said, adding that workers could have been seriously injured. Further complications arose when the vehicle transporting the sedated leopard broke down midway, forcing officials to arrange a smaller rented vehicle to complete the transport.

Speaking to The Indian Express on the condition of anonymity, a senior official from the TTC raised concern over the lack of funds and safety equipment. "Our rescue team mainly consists of contract workers who work on lower salaries and have no insurance. If something happens to them, who will take responsibility? Today, three team members were attacked," the official said.

He alleged that the Nagpur forest division was severely underfunded. "We apply for regular expenses every year in March or April, but large funds are sanctioned for cities that don't even have forests. Our vehicles are due for servicing, and we don't even have proper uniforms or safety shields. During today's rescue, we had to use police shields," he added.

Despite the challenges, the official said the forest department continued to respond to distress calls. "Our team is committed and strong, but at the very least, we need basic protective gear and proper facilities to carry out these dangerous rescue operations safely."

"If these attacks happen in cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Nashik, this becomes a topic of concern for the Government, but Nagpur has been largely neglected, even when there is wildlife around the city," the official said.