Following the sighting of a leopard near Pune airport, Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol on Tuesday called for an intensified search and rescue operation and asked authorities to deploy specialised technology to bolster safety in the high-security zone, news agency PTI reported.
The big cat was spotted near Pune International Airport on November 19, leading forest officials and Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel to begin a search operation in the vicinity.
As a substantial part of the airport premises comes under IAF control, Mohol, who is the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, has suggested involving the air force for technical support, PTI reported. He directed the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and the forest department to improve coordination and adopt specialised technology to ensure safety during the ongoing operation.
“The airport is an extremely sensitive and high-security zone. Clear instructions have been issued to ensure all agencies work in coordination,” Mohol said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) from Pune has also suggested deploying night-vision equipment, sensors and thermal imaging devices, along with greater use of other available resources, PTI reported.
While fixed closed circuit television (CCTV) installation remains restricted due to security protocols, Mohol has proposed placing temporary cameras to track the leopard’s movement, assuring that these will be removed once the animal is captured.
Other measures proposed include sealing select stormwater lines post-monsoon to reduce possible entry points for the wild cat, strengthening drone surveillance and periodically altering drone flight patterns.
Mohol has also directed officials to carry out a detailed inspection of the airport tunnel to identify locations frequently used by the leopard and to install large concealed cages at critical openings.
Plans also include increasing camera traps, stepping up night surveillance and placing light bait near the tunnel area to guide the leopard towards specific capture points.
He has further instructed authorities to restrict human movement in certain pockets to maintain a calm environment and to limit the use of dog squads to avoid confusing or driving the feline into riskier areas.
The introduction of new auto-lock cages has also been suggested to ensure a safer capture process.
Forest teams, supported by airport security and police personnel, continue combing operations in and around the airport as efforts intensify to rescue the leopard safely, officials said.
On Monday, a joint team comprising forest officials, IAF personnel and members of the RESQ Charitable Trust conducted a field visit to the airport, inspecting the K4 location where the leopard was sighted on November 19.
A big cat was also seen roaming near the upscale Sindh Society in Aundh at around 4 am on Sunday. Forest department officials said on Monday they had stepped up the search in this densely populated residential area.
Officials have cautioned people against sharing AI-generated photographs of the leopard on social media, warning that such images could create unnecessary panic and confusion.
Earlier this month, a “man-eater” leopard that had created fear in Shirur tehsil of Pune district was shot dead by sharpshooters. Last month, two minors and an elderly person were killed in leopard attacks in Mauje Pimparkhed area of Shirur tehsil.
(With PTI inputs)