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Leopard seen near Pune airport; Mohol pushes for intensified, tech-aided search
Mohol, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, stressed that the IAF should provide technical support, as much of the airport falls under its jurisdiction
A leopard spotted near Pune airport on Tuesday morning as well as over the weekend, has triggered an urgent joint search by forest officials and the Indian Air Force (IAF). On Tuesday, Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol directed authorities to step up rescue operations and use advanced technology to secure the sensitive area.
Mohol, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, stressed that the IAF should provide technical support, as much of the airport falls under its jurisdiction.
He instructed the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and the forest department to collaborate more closely and incorporate specialised tools into the ongoing search. “The airport is a highly sensitive zone. All departments have been directed to coordinate closely,” he said.
Mohol recommended using night-vision devices, motion sensors, and thermal imaging equipment, alongside greater deployment of available resources. While permanent CCTV cameras cannot be installed due to security restrictions, he suggested temporary cameras that could be removed once the leopard is captured.
Although three camera traps were installed earlier, none had captured evidence of the animal. In response, officials set up five additional camera traps on Tuesday at locations where leopard movement is considered likely. With this, a total of eight camera traps are now active around the airport premises.
Other measures include temporarily sealing some stormwater drains after the monsoon to block possible entry points, strengthening drone surveillance with varied flight paths, inspecting airport tunnels for potential leopard hiding spots, and placing large concealed cages at strategic locations.
Plans also involve increasing camera traps, boosting night-time monitoring, and positioning light bait near tunnel openings to guide the leopard toward designated capture points. Authorities have been asked to limit human movement in certain areas and minimise the use of dog squads to prevent the animal from being forced into riskier zones. Mohol also recommended deploying new auto-locking cages to make capture safer.
Forest teams, supported by airport security and police, continue to sweep the area. On Monday, a joint team of forest officials, IAF personnel, and members of RESQ Charitable Trust examined the K4 point where the leopard was last seen.
Separately, a big cat was spotted near Sindh Society in Aundh around 4 a.m. on Sunday. Forest officials said search efforts in the residential area have been intensified and cautioned citizens against sharing AI-generated leopard images online, warning such posts could cause unnecessary panic.
This comes weeks after a leopard labelled a “man-eater” in Pune’s Shirur tehsil was shot dead by sharpshooters. Last month, two children and an elderly person were killed in leopard attacks in Mauje Pimparkhed in Shirur, causing widespread alarm in the region.
Mangesh Tate, assistant conservator of forests, Pune Forest Division, confirmed that surveillance has been intensified to ensure public safety and to track the elusive leopard effectively.
