When judge and lawyers had to flee a Gujarat courtroom

The judge, lawyers and other staff managed to come out and locked the big cat inside the courtroom. They are waiting for the forest department team to come and cage the animal.

Proceedings at a local court of Chotila in Gujarat’s Surendranagar district came to a standstill on Friday afternoon when the complex had an unexpected visitor– a leopard.

The court is located in the town, which is famous for hillock named Chotilla – a popular pilgrimage. The hillock is surrounded by forests where leopards are found. (HT File)

The judge, lawyers and other staff managed to come out and locked the big cat inside the courtroom. They are waiting for the forest department team to come and cage the animal.

“All the staff and others present in the court are safe. A forest department team is on the way,” said Suredranagar police spokesperson.

The court is located in the town, which is famous for hillock named Chotilla – a popular pilgrimage. The hillock is surrounded by forests where leopards are found.

Earlier this month, the Gujarat secretariat did not function for almost half a day on November 5 when CCTV footage revealed that a leopard had entered the premises in the wee hours.

In recent months, leopard menace has seen a rise in parts of the state. Three persons were killed by the big cat between November 21 and 26 in south Gujarat.

According to the 2016 census, the state is home to 1,395 leopards.