Leopard enters Gujarat secretariat, hunt called off after hours of search

The Secretariat complex was cordoned off after CCTV footage showed the leopard sneaking in from under a gate.

The Gujarat secretariat had an unexpected visitor on Monday, a leopard.

Forest department officials were called in and are currently conducting a search operation of the campus. (ANI/Twitter)

The sprawling complex was cordoned off on Monday after CCTV footage from early morning showed a leopard sneaking from under a gate into the complex with 14 blocks.

The forest officials called off the hunt around 12 noon saying the leopard was no longer on the campus and the cordon was lifted.

The cat had entered from gate number 7 around 7 am.

“The entry from all gates has been closed until the area is not declared safe by the forest department, which has begun operations,” said Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police Mayur Chavda said in the morning.

Nearly 200 forest department officials were called in to conduct a search operation of the campus that houses the chief minister’s office, ministries and the assembly.