Leopard spotted near Najafgarh remains untraced for 3rd day

Search and rescue operation for a leopard spotted in Najafgarh in southwest Delhi last week continued for the sixth day on Monday without much success, forest department officials said.

The presence of the feline in the area had prompted the forest department to issue an alert on Thursday, asking residents not to step out alone, especially at night. Children were asked to remain inside homes.

"The leopard remains untraced. It was last sighted near the Najafgarh drain on January 29. No pugmarks were found in the last three days," Deputy Conservator of Forest, Delhi (West) Navneet Shrivastava said.

The search and rescue operation is likely to be called off if the animal remains untraced for the next one or two days, he said. However, people have been asked to keep their guard up. A cage with a live bait remains in place in the area to catch the feline. Srivastava had earlier said the leopard may have crossed into Haryana.

A senior official of the department said the leopard was first caught on CCTV camera on January 27. Later, a forest officer confirmed its presence in the area.  "It was sighted again in Ghumanhera village on January 28 and near the Najafgarh drain on January 29," the official said.

Forest department staff has been making public announcements in Najafgarh and nearby areas. They have distributed pamphlets and pasted posters on walls, asking residents to remain alert.