The adult leopard was spotted at Najafgarh drain on Friday An adult leopard strayed into a residential neighbourhood in Southwest Delhi’s Najafgarh and was caught on camera twice this week. With searches conducted by the forest department coming to naught, officials on Sunday said the animal may have crossed the border into Haryana.
The animal was first captured on CCTV in Najafgarh’s Som Bazar in the early hours of Wednesday and was later seen hiding behind tall grass along the Najafgarh drain near Ghumanhera village Friday evening, officials said.
A cage and a bait have now been placed at the drain where the leopard was last seen, and public safety announcements are being made in the area.
Ishwar Singh, Delhi’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, said, “No sighting was reported in the last 24 hours nor has any sign of hunting been noticed. The state border is close to where the leopard was last seen, in the thick vegetation along the drain, which goes into Haryana. It is therefore possible that it has crossed the border.”
Three teams of the forest department have been patrolling the area since the animal was spotted and would continue to do it for the next two days, Singh said.
Public announcements are also being made on safety, cautioning residents against roaming after dark, advising them to move in groups and not leaving children and pets unattended.
