Leopard Strays into Residential Complex in Thane District, Attacks 4 Persons
The leopard hid inside a room in the housing society for some time. Viral videos on social media showed the animal moving through a narrow space as well as on what appeared to be a staircase
By : PTI
Update: 2025-12-19 08:59 GMT
Thane: Four persons were injured after being attacked by a leopard that strayed into a housing society in Bhayandar area of Maharashtra's Thane district on Friday morning, triggering panic among the local citizens, officials said. The injured persons included residents of the building and passersby, they said.
"A leopard strayed into the densely-populated residential area located along the Talav Road in Bhayandar east in the early hours, and attacked some passersby. The feline then entered a building named 'Parijat', where it attacked a few residents," an official said.
The leopard hid inside a room in the housing society for some time. Viral videos on social media showed the animal moving through a narrow space as well as on what appeared to be a staircase.
"The sudden appearance of the big cat triggered chaos, with frightened residents rushing indoors," the official said. The injured persons were later rushed to nearby hospitals, where they are undergoing treatment and are said to be stable, he said.
On being alerted about the incident, personnel of the Navghar police station and Bhayandar fire brigade rushed to the spot and launched an operation to secure the area. Teams from the forest department in Thane and the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) also joined them.
The rescue teams then managed to drive the leopard into a flat in the same building, he said.
"The animal was eventually cornered and trapped inside a flat of the building, preventing further harm to the residents. The entire building and the surrounding areas were cordoned off as a precautionary measure, and residents have been advised to remain indoors," the official said.
"Our teams are closely monitoring the situation on the ground and rescue support has been kept on standby if required," said Pawan Sharma from RAWW (Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare), who is also an honorary wildlife warden.
Local residents have been urged to stay inside their houses and avoid crowding the area, he said. Efforts are on to safely rescue the animal, according to the officials.