VIDEO: Leopard Sighting Near Panhala Fort Creates Panic In Maharashtra's Kolhapur; Forest Department Launches Search Operation

Kolhapur: A leopard was sighted near the Panhala Fort in Kolhapur District on Tuesday. She has sparked a panic near the fort, as many tourists visit the historical fort, and there are multiple villages nearby where many people live. The Maharashtra Forest Department is yet to catch the leopard, but the efforts are ongoing, an official said.

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According to available details, a man named Asif Mujawar, who is a resident of the nearby Pawangad area, was passing through a trail near his home on his bike when he spotted the leopard. He shot a video of it, which is currently going viral on social media. Mujawar claimed that as he lived in the Pawangad area, it was his daily route to go home, and seeing a leopard here was a terrifying sight.  

Forest Department officials and local police were promptly informed about this. Officials have stressed the need to be calm in these situations, saying, “If you spot a leopard, be calm. Sudden movements might motivate them to attack you. Many times, the leopard is more scared of us than we are scared of them. Children must not roam alone in the area until we catch the beast. Traps have been set up to catch it.”

About Panhala Fort

Panhala Fort, also known as Panhalgad, literally means ‘the home of serpents', and is a Maratha Empire-era fort located around 20 kilometres away from Kolhapur. It's located in a strategic location, which in the older times was used to watch out for a pass that was a major trade route connecting Maharashtra and Bijapur.

The fort is remembered for the battle of Pavankhind (then called Ghodkhind), where Baji Prabhu Deshpande became a martyr as he helped Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj escape to nearby Vishalgad from enemies. Several parts of the fort and the structures within are still intact, making it a famous tourist destination for the locals.