A confirmed leopard sighting in Pune's Keshavnagar-Mundhwa area has put residents and authorities on high alert. The incident, captured on multiple security cameras, occurred in the early hours of Thursday, prompting an immediate response from the forest department.
Night of the Sighting: A Detailed Timeline
The leopard's movement was meticulously tracked through CCTV footage from three adjacent residential complexes. The animal was first recorded at 2:27 am at Konark Riva society. It then appeared around 3 am within the premises of Unique Legacy, before finally being seen entering the Alcon Silverleaf complex. The entire episode, from first to last sighting, lasted from approximately 2:27 am until between 4:15 am and 4:30 am.
Sudhir Srivastav, director of KENWA and chairman of Konark Riva, provided a detailed account. A security guard witnessed the leopard entering from the direction of a nearby sewage treatment plant. "It climbed the compound wall adjoining the STP of our society and entered. Then it crossed our main gate and moved towards Unique Legacy," Srivastav stated. The guard, upon seeing the big cat, immediately retreated into his cabin and locked himself inside for safety.
Official Verification and Search Operations
A team from the forest department visited the societies on Thursday morning. Their investigation yielded concrete evidence: fresh pugmarks were found in the soft soil near the Konark Riva compound wall. Officials confirmed the paw prints were clearly visible in the damp earth and their location was consistent with the timings on the CCTV footage.
A senior forest official suggested the leopard likely entered from the Manjari side, which has large open lands and farms, or possibly along the edge of the Mula-Mutha river. The Mula river is roughly 700 meters away from Keshavnagar in aerial distance. The last CCTV capture showed the leopard moving towards this riverside area at around 4:12 am.
In response, the forest department has initiated a comprehensive search operation. "Forest staff are carrying out a search operation in and around the Keshavnagar area," read an official statement issued on Thursday evening. The plan includes reviewing more CCTV footage, using trap cameras in a nearby nullah with dense vegetation, and conducting a thermal drone search after dusk. Night patrolling by special teams began on Thursday night in Keshavnagar, Mundhwa, and surrounding localities.
Heightened Security and Resident Anxiety
Security measures across the three societies have been intensified. Srivastav has advised residents against stepping out after 9 pm, discouraged morning walks for the time being, and emphasized that children must not be outside without a guardian. Security guards have been instructed to remain inside their cabins post-9 pm and move in pairs if they must exit.
The uncertainty of the leopard's current whereabouts is a primary source of anxiety. Chaitanya Sharma, a resident living opposite Alcon Silverleaf, expressed the community's fear: "The main concern is that no one knows where the leopard went, which is causing anxiety. If it had been traced, people would have felt more at ease." An unnamed delivery agent also reported seeing the leopard chase community dogs, which managed to escape.
This incident in Keshavnagar follows a series of similar leopard sightings in Pune, including near the airport, in Aundh, and Bavdhan. Forest officials note that such movements are not extremely unusual, given Pune's multiple leopard habitats on its outskirts, which can lead to animals straying into urban pockets, especially at night. The department has urged residents to immediately report any fresh sightings or incidents.
