FOUR days after sighting a leopard near Lal Ghati VIP guest house, the Forest Department continued search and patrolling in the area. The team continued patrolling around guest house on Sunday night too. Since the incident, guest house remains deserted. Employees tied up a goat in a cage during night hours and then they left. This has become a routine for guest house employees to tie up a goat during night hours and then release it in the morning.

 

Forest officials said that they will continue watch in the area for a week. District Forest Officer (DFO) Harishankar Mishra said that the leopard might have moved back to the forest. He said leopard did not come to kill the goat tied up in cage which proves animal’s absence from the area. He said the team is surveying the area from airport to Bhauri. No fresh pugmarks of the leopard has been found in the area.

 

From safety point of view, cages have also been placed at several locations to trap the leopard. Forest officials said that cages have been placed there as a precautionary measure. They said if the leopard comes back to the area, he will be lured with the goat tied in cage and then he will be trapped. They said it is the behaviour of leopard to escape behind bushes or trees. If the leopard is still active in the area, he will step out during night hours in search of prey.

 

As people living around the area are terrified with the news of movement of leopard, Forest Department has tightened security measures with night watch and patrolling. CCF Ravindra Saxena said leopard usually returns to that particular area. He said patrolling team is following pugmark of leopard. The team will wait for return of leopard for two more days.

 

People living in the area have been asked to stay alert and not to move towards jungle after evening hours. On Thursday, panic was created among locals when watchman reported that he spotted leopard like animal straying during early morning hours. Following his complaint, police team and Forest Department reached and started search and found pugmarks of leopard.

 

The Forest Department said that it is yet to be confirmed whether it was leopard or some other animal. He said as a part of precautionary measure, the forest team has started patrolling in the area. Crackers were also burst to scare the animal and advisory was issued to VIP guest house employees that they should not venture outside alone at night and early in the morning.