The residents from Maple city complex and surrounding areas in Badlapur panicked after a leopard was spotted nearby on Tuesday evening.
A woman from the complex claimed she saw a leopard. She recorded a video of the leopard’s movement on her mobile phone. Forest officer Pramod Thakkar and his team inspected the area and appealed to citizens to stay calm but vigilant.
The forest department increased ranger patrols in the area. A forest official told , “The leopard’s presence in the Badlapur belt at the foothills of Malang Gad and Matheran have been acknowledged by the forest department and there is no threat to citizens.”
This is the second time in a week that a leopard has been spotted around Badlapur city. A week back, a leopard was spotted near Katrap, where it killed two goats belonging to a farmer. Due to the sighting of the wild cat in Badlapur and surrounding villages, there was an atmosphere of fear among residents, especially in hilly areas.
Surjitt Sahani
