Two leopards stray into IIT-B campus, driven away by guards

Early on Tuesday morning, forest guards drove two leopards away from the Indian Institute of Technology - Bombay (IIT-B) campus at Powai.

Early on Tuesday morning, forest guards drove two leopards away from the Indian Institute of Technology - Bombay (IIT-B) campus at Powai.

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According to officials, a male and female leopard had strayed into the campus last week reportedly to mate.

IIT-B and the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivli share a boundary.

"Going by their behaviour, the leopards must have strayed into the campus to mate. At around 5.30am on Tuesday, our guards managed to shoo them away from the campus border into the forest," said GT Chavan, deputy conservator of forests, Thane.

On June 28, the forest department received a call from the IIT-B staff saying they had spotted two leopards walking around the staff quarters. Since then, guards from the state forest department have been patrolling the campus.

"At around 7pm last Thursday, residents of the lake side building heard roars. We called forest officials and the police. While some residents said they saw two leopards, a male and a female, others said they also saw a female leopard with a cub," said professor Urjit Yajnik, dean of student affairs.