Leopard Enters Ghaziabad School, Triggers 8-Hour Rescue Operation
A full-grown leopard created panic in Ghaziabad on Wednesday morning after it strayed into Greenfield School in the Govindpuram area. The animal remained holed up inside a school washroom for over eight hours before being successfully tranquilised and rescued by forest department officials in a challenging operation.
Early Morning Sighting and School Entry
The leopard was first captured on CCTV footage at 5:13 AM by resident Gurucharan Singh, who noticed unusual movement near his home. "I was checking the CCTV footage when I saw the animal heading toward the school," Singh recounted. "On closer inspection, I realized it was a leopard, after which I immediately alerted my neighbors. This happened around the time when most of us usually step out for morning walks."
Just two minutes later, at 5:15 AM, the leopard was again captured on CCTV cameras as it entered the school premises. The animal's presence went undetected initially, causing significant concern when school authorities were unable to locate it on campus.
Forest Department's Challenging Rescue Mission
School authorities contacted the Ghaziabad forest department around 7:50 AM, sharing the CCTV footage that clearly showed the full-grown leopard. District Forest Officer Isha Tiwari explained, "By 8 AM, our team reached the school and secured the entire area. A specialized tranquilizing team arrived from Meerut around noon."
In the interim period, forest officials attempted to locate the animal using drone technology but were unsuccessful. The rescue team then began a manual search wearing protective gear. "Our team members made cat-like sounds and heard a distinct growl when they reached the boys' washroom," Tiwari detailed. "We immediately locked the washroom and could see the leopard peering through a grilled ventilator."
Tranquilizing Through Wall and Safe Release
The rescue operation faced significant challenges due to the leopard's aggressive behavior. "The leopard was very aggressive and charged each time we aimed our tranquilizer guns," Tiwari revealed. "We eventually had to bore a four-inch hole in the washroom wall and fire the dart through it. The animal was unconscious within minutes, giving us enough time to safely rescue it."
The tranquilization occurred around 3:45 PM, ending the eight-hour standoff. The male leopard, estimated to be three to three-and-a-half years old, was transported to the district forest office for medical examination. "The animal was found to be in excellent health with no injuries," Tiwari confirmed. "It was later released in the Shivalik range in Saharanpur, a suitable natural habitat for leopards."
School Response and Academic Adjustments
Greenfield School Principal Suman Kaushik described the school's response to the unusual situation. "As soon as we were informed about the leopard sighting by our staff, we immediately alerted the forest department," Kaushik stated. "Fortunately, our school is not a CBSE examination center, which gave us flexibility in our response."
The school took several precautionary measures, including postponing ongoing annual examinations and informing parents around 8 AM about the situation. "We informed all parents about the incident and assured them of student safety," Kaushik added. "The school will reopen on Thursday, and examinations will be conducted as per the revised schedule."
The incident highlights the increasing human-wildlife conflict in urban fringe areas and the preparedness of forest departments to handle such sensitive situations while ensuring both human and animal safety.
