Leopard spotted in Srinagar’s high-security area. CRPF helps trap the intruder

CRPF officials who helped wildlife officials trap the leopard in Srinagar’s Church Lane also captured the animal on video. Wildlife officials said the leopard was caught in the house of BJP leader Ashok Koul.

A leopard was spotted on Wednesday morning in Srinagar’s high-security Church Lane area near the foothills of the Zabarwan mountain range, triggering panic in the neighbourhood that is home to Kashmir’s prominent politicians and top civil servants, people familiar with the matter said.

The leopard which strayed into Srinagar’s Church Lane area before being tranquillised by Kashmir wildlife officials. (Twitter/@79BNSNRCRPF)

The leopard was eventually tranquilised by wildlife officials at the official residence of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ashok Koul. A quick reaction team of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) helped in the operation.

Koul, who is Jammu and Kashmir BJP’s general secretary (organisation), said he was about to go for his morning walk when two persons in the All Saint’s Church opposite his house alerted him to the presence of the leopard in the neighbourhood. “I rushed back,” he said.

Wildlife warden, central, Altaf Hussain said that they received the first information about the leopard entering the VIP area, Church Lane, early on Wednesday.

Wildlife officials were rushed to the high-security gated community to capture the leopard. Hussain said a contingent of the CRPF deployed in the area helped wildlife officials track the leopard.

“The leopard had been kept under the constant watch by the QRT, 79 Bn which was tactically placed to cordon the area from all sides,” the CRPF battalion said on Twitter and posted videos.

It was during this effort that the leopard entered Koul’s residential compound where officials tranquilised the animal.

“It was a huge animal and took time to become unconscious after they shot the tranquillisers,” Koul said.

Hussain said the rescue operation took about 45 minutes. “Everybody is fine, including the animal,” he said.

Officials said the leopard could have come from the Zabarwan mountain and forest range. “It is his own territory,” Hussain added.

Wildlife officials said that the animal will be released into the Dachigam National Park on the east side of Dal Lake.

“We are stabilising the animal and will release him into his natural habitat,” said Hussain.