Leopard spreads fear at airport; forest department with expert plan to tranquilize it

PUNE: The forest department has caught a leopard that was roaming around the airport premises. The incident took place at the Pune airport. The leopard was tranquilized and caged after a joint effort by the forest department, Rescue Charitable Trust, Indian Air Force and airport authorities. The presence of the leopard was first confirmed in the airport premises on April 28. The leopard was seen again on November 19.

Forest department officials said that the leopard was roaming the airport using underground passages and abundant vegetation. Officials said that they faced many challenges in capturing the leopard from inside the 80-foot-long tunnel. Traps were set up, but the leopard escaped without being caught in any of them.

On December 4, officials received information that the leopard had entered an underground tunnel. The other doors of the tunnel were closed and a 30-member team led the leopard into an 80-foot long tunnel, expertly tranquilized it and captured it. The operation was completed successfully without any injuries. Officials also said that the leopard did not pose a threat to other airport operations. The leopard is currently being monitored at the Transit Treatment Centre in Bavadhan, Pune.