A leopard that had been moving through several crowded neighbourhoods in Jaipur over the past two days was tranquilised and rescued from a shop near the Chandpole area late on Thursday, officials confirmed. The rescue brought an end to hours of concern among residents after multiple sightings of the animal in different parts of the city.
According to officials, the leopard was discovered inside a shop located on the ground floor of a residential building. The shopkeeper, who found the animal hiding near a storage section, acted quickly and pulled down the shutter, preventing it from escaping back into the neighbourhood. He immediately alerted the police and the forest department, who reached the spot within minutes. The rescue operation began at 11 pm and continued for nearly three hours. Forest officials used a tranquilliser to subdue the animal before safely removing it from the premises. One official involved in the operation said the team worked with “great care to ensure the safety of both the animal and the residents”.
Before it was cornered inside the shop, the leopard had been seen moving across several populated areas of Jaipur. It was first spotted in the Vidhyadhar Nagar area on Tuesday night. Residents reported another sighting in Shastri Nagar on Thursday morning, prompting authorities to increase patrols and monitor movement across the area. Officials said the leopard is believed to have entered the city from the nearby forest belt, possibly in search of food or due to movement disturbance in its natural habitat. They added that the animal would undergo a medical examination before being released back into a suitable forest region.
Residents of the neighbourhood expressed relief once the operation concluded. Many gathered outside the building during the rescue, but police maintained a cordon until the animal was secured. Forest authorities said the rescue demonstrated effective coordination between local residents, police and the wildlife team.
