Pune: A leopard spotted in Aundh on Sunday, November 23, triggered routine monitoring by the Pune Forest Department and the RESQ team. Soon after the sighting, a rumour began to circulate across the city claiming that the department had instructed citizens to carry sharp weapons such as sickles or swords for self-defence.
The Forest Department has firmly denied issuing any such advisory, calling the circulating message ‘entirely false and baseless.’ Officials confirmed that no instructions of this nature have been released by the department.
Citizens have been urged not to believe or spread unverified messages and to rely only on official sources for updates. Authorities also requested full cooperation from the public and advised residents to stay alert to misinformation.
According to the department, teams are closely tracking the leopard-related situation, and all necessary steps are being taken to ensure public safety. Officials have appealed to the public to avoid panic and not fall prey to rumours.
Over the past few weeks, residents across Pune have reported frequent leopard sightings, which have led to multiple calls to the Forest Department. The officials confirm that most of these alerts have not been genuine.
'People are forwarding every rumour'
Speaking on the issue, Aditya Paranjpe, Honorary Wildlife Warden, Pune Forest Department, said that exaggerated messages circulating in housing groups and social circles are creating an atmosphere of fear. “People are forwarding every rumour, every shadow, every moving object as a leopard case. This is causing panic and wasting time and resources," he said.
