Watch: Cheetah from Namibia strays into village 20 kms outside Kuno National Park, creates panic amongst villagers; rescue ops on

Sheopur (Madhya Pradesh): A cheetah named Oban caused panic among villagers in the Kuno National Park area, on Sunday as the cheetah entered the Jhar Baroda village of Vijaypur, which is 20 km away from Kuno National Park. The monitoring team has also reached the village. Efforts are under way to bring the cheetah back.

Oban, who came from Namibia, had entered the area near Baroda village, leading to villagers gathering with sticks for security. Upon receiving the information, the Forest Department's Wildlife Team rushed to the spot to search for Oban. The team, along with the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), is currently conducting a search operation to locate the cheetah.

Villagers are scared

The incident has created fear among the villagers, who spotted Oban in the fields near Goli Pura and Jhar Baroda villages in Vijaypur tehsil in the district. The Forest Department officials were shocked to learn that Oban had ventured out of the Kuno Sanctuary and into the nearby villages. The cheetah has been identified as Nabimia's Oban, and rescue operations are currently underway to safely capture the animal.

The Forest Department has assured the villagers that they are taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of both the villagers and the cheetah.