Residents of two housing societies in Pune's Pashan-Sutarwadi belt woke up to a startling alert on Friday after a leopard was captured on CCTV cameras moving through their premises in the early hours. This incident adds to a growing list of leopard sightings reported in the city's outskirts in recent weeks.
CCTV Evidence and Resident Accounts
Security footage from Mukta Residency and Priyogi Plaza, two adjacent societies, provided clear visuals of the wild cat's movements. The first clip, timestamped 3:55 am at Mukta Residency, showed the leopard moving along an area adjoining the Pashan lake and garden. Another video captured the animal climbing a gate and boundary wall of Priyogi Plaza before strolling inside the Mukta Residency premises.
Mahendra Ranpise, chairman of Mukta Residency, confirmed the events to TOI. "The wall and gate seen in the CCTV are of Priyogi Plaza. The second video, where the leopard seems to be strolling inside the premises, is from our own society," he said. Ranpise added that a leopard was spotted near Bavdhan a few days prior, and on Friday morning, it was seen in both societies before apparently moving towards Shivnagar.
While the society guard did not see the animal directly, a tempo driver present outside the gate witnessed the leopard's entry. Society watchman Veerbahadur Khondka recounted, "I heard a loud bang on the gate—probably when the leopard climbed it. By the time I reached, it had crossed the boundary wall. The tempo driver told me a leopard had entered."
Official Verification and Preventive Measures
A senior forest department official verified the authenticity of the CCTV footage. "The footage is genuine and not doctored. Our teams have verified it," the official stated. The department has initiated the installation of camera traps around Pashan lake to map the leopard's movement patterns and determine if it frequents the area.
Following the dual sightings, the society management issued a strict advisory to residents, urging them to:
- Restrict non-essential movement.
- Avoid stepping out on foot and use vehicles if necessary.
- Return home before 8–9 pm.
- Refrain from early morning walks until further notice.
Forest Department's Investigation and Historical Context
Another forest official stated that the leopard's presence in the Pashan-Sutarwadi belt is now firmly established. Ground surveys found physical evidence, including hair strands and a pugmark, at the exact spot where the leopard jumped the gate, corroborating the video evidence.
The official explained that the area offers a natural corridor for the animal. Once it crosses the road from the residential side, it enters the vast, vegetated landscape of Pashan lake. "That entire belt is vast, with several green pockets," he said. Based on past movement patterns, the department has installed four camera traps in the core Pashan lake zone, away from human settlements, to monitor activity in less-disturbed patches.
When questioned if this leopard could be the same individual sighted recently in Aundh and Bavdhan's RBI Colony, officials clarified it is impossible to confirm. The footage does not show distinct spot patterns comparable to earlier clips, leaving open the possibility of multiple animals.
The Pashan-Bavdhan-Sutarwadi belt, known for its forested slopes and connected green patches, has a history of leopard movements. Officials reiterated that leopards are typically shy and avoid humans but urged residents to remain extremely cautious and report any fresh sightings immediately to the forest department.
