A leopard was spotted near the Pune International Airport's runway on Monday evening, April 28. The authorities informed the forest officials, and a search and rescue operation began at the same time. Pune Range Forest Officer Suresh Varak said that the location where the big cat was seen was far from the airport's runway.
According to the eyewitness, the leopard was first sighted on Monday at around 8 p.m. on the airport premises, but at a distance. The incident has created chaos and fear in the Lahgaon area. Officials have informed residents and travellers to remain alert while authorities continue their efforts to capture the big cat.
Videos circulated on social media, including on X, show the wild animal sitting in the dry grass area near the road, which looks like an airport runway. Later in the video, he fades away after hearing the human voice.
"A leopard has been spotted on the premises of Pune Airport. Following the sighting, we have deployed teams and launched an operation to capture it by setting up cages and trap cameras. Further monitor operations are underway," Varak told the news agency PTI.