The leopard appeared near NHK Company in the Chikalthana MIDC area again in the early hours of Saturday. Upon hearing the roar of the leopard, a security guard, a cattle grazer, and a tea stall owner started running. The guard and the tea seller fell while running and sustained minor injuries.
After receiving the information, forest department officers and employees arrived at the spot around 7 am and laid traps to capture the wild animal. They found footprints of the leopard but could not confirm if they belonged to the same leopard.
Amol Abhang, the security guard of NHK Company, said he was inspecting the company premises around 6 am when the leopard came running from the Brijwadi area and hid in the bushes. He then called a cattle grazer for help. Suddenly, the leopard jumped on him and injured him. The cattle grazer, Laxmanrao Gawali, hit the leopard with his stick, causing it to run away.
News of the leopard quickly spread on social media, causing panic among residents of Brijwadi, Naregaon and other nearby areas. The leopard was first spotted last week in the Khinwasara area, followed by sightings near Prozone Mall and other localities. The forest department had previously laid traps with lambs but failed to capture the leopard. Officers believed the animal had gone to the mountains in the Palshi area, but it was spotted again in the Chikalthana MIDC area on Saturday.
