As the leopard spotted in the surveillance cameras of a posh gated society in Ahmedabad remained elusive, the fear of the prowling beast kept its residents on edge.
A day after the sighting, they stopped going for morning walks or even taking their pet dogs for a stroll; security personnel don’t patrol alone. These were some of the precautionary measures that were suggested to the residents by the forest department.
Around 2 am Monday, the leopard was seen climbing the walls of Serendeep Mansions, situated on VIP Road in Ghuma in the southwest part of the city.
The leopard left the society premises in just seven minutes to exit into a vacant plot across the road. The plot has thick babool (prosopis juliflora) trees.
When The Indian Express visited the society on Monday, a Wildlife Rescue Van of the forest department was stationed on VIP Road. A few vehicles of media persons were parked opposite the society and near the vacant plot. Forest officials were seen camping on the open plot as they coordinated a search operation in the area.
One of the security personnel who patrols the society at night said: “The leopard crossed the society’s garden just a minute after I did while patrolling. While the night patrolling continues, there is one change: three to four of us stick together at any point. And we arm ourselves with sticks and the like for self-defence.”
President of the society’s resident welfare association (RWA) Gaurang Shah said, “As the forest department’s efforts to rescue the leopard continue, we have been instructed not to venture out after sunset. We have been advised not to go out (at night). If we are to do so, we go out in our cars. We don’t walk alone. None of us, especially senior citizens and children, go out of the house after it gets dark.”
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“We have been told that the leopard is a nocturnal animal and moves around after it is dark. We have stopped early morning walks, taking out pets for walks, or letting children play in the clubhouse garden,” Shah added.
Serendeep Mansions is a housing society comprising 105 individual bungalows, the sizes of which vary from 350 square yards to 1,500 square yards.
Ghuma is a rapidly developing residential area in southwestern Ahmedabad and is adjacent to Sanand, an emerging automobile and semiconductor hub of Gujarat.
Meanwhile, the owner of a pan (betel) shop near the housing society seemed nonchalant. “The business is going on as usual. The leopard must have moved elsewhere. I don’t think it would stay here this long,” he remarked.
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A senior official at a petrol pump near the Mansions said, “We do not see any reason to panic. Forest officials are doing everything to catch the leopard. We have only instructed our employees to go indoors if they spot the leopard.”
Meanwhile, Range Forest Officer (RFO) Haresh Desai, who was at the spot, told media persons: “On the basis of the last recorded movement [of the leopard], our teams have launched a search operation at several places. We are yet to get any more authentic information, backed by CCTV footage or pugmarks, on the leopard’s sighting…”
“At present, four of our teams are at work, and four cages have been installed (at different locations) in addition to the one kept as a spare. This search operation will continue until we get proper information that the leopard has left the area for good,“ he added.
Another forest officer said that they had been getting several claims of people spotting the leopard. But the claims turned out to be false alarms since people mistook dogs for a leopard, he added.
Parimal A Dabhi works with The Indian Express as Chief of Bureau, focusing on the state of Gujarat. Leveraging his seniority and access, Dabhi is recognized for his reporting on the complex interplay of law, politics, social justice, and governance within the region.
Expertise & Authority
Core Authority (Social Justice and Law): Dabhi is a key source for in-depth coverage of caste-based violence, discrimination, and the state's response to social movements, particularly those involving Patidar, Dalit and OBC communities. His reporting focuses on the societal and legal fallout of these issues:
Caste and Discrimination: He has reported extensively on social boycotts and instances of violence against Dalits (such as the attack on a Dalit wedding party in Patan), the community's demands (like refusing to pick carcasses), and the political responses from leaders like Jignesh Mevani.
Judicial and Legal Affairs: He tracks significant, high-stakes legal cases and judgments that set precedents in Gujarat, including the convictions under the stringent Gujarat Animal Preservation Act (cow slaughter), 2002 Gujarat riots and developments in cases involving former police officers facing charges of wrongful confinement and fake encounters.
Political and Administrative Oversight: Dabhi provides essential coverage of the inner workings of the state government and the opposition, ensuring a high degree of Trustworthiness in political analysis:
State Assembly Proceedings: He frequently reports directly from the Gujarat Assembly, covering Question Hour, discussion on various Bills, debates on budgetary demands for departments like Social Justice, and ministerial statements on issues like illegal mining, job quotas for locals, and satellite-based farm loss surveys.
Electoral Politics: His work details key political developments, including election analysis (voter turnout records), party organizational changes (like the end of C R Patil’s tenure as BJP chief), and campaign dynamics. ... Read More
