Stray panther tranquilised after creating panic in Jaipur

A panther that had strayed into a residential area here was tranquilised on Friday, hours after it injured two forest officials of an expert team trying to subdue it, an official said.

The panther was first sighted on Takhteshahi Road in the city on Thursday.

On Friday morning, the wild animal injured two forest officials when the expert team comprising police and the forest department tried to capture it, according to Sudharshan Sharma, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Jaipur.

Gaurav Rathi (forester) and Raj Kishore (guard) received minor injuries and were given first-aid, the deputy conservator said.

Later, a morning walker sighted the male panther again in Greater Kailash Colony and informed police.

The expert team searched for the animal in the nearby colonies and Sawai Mansingh Stadium including Lalkothi area.

It was finally found hiding inside a storeroom on the terrace of a house in Greater Kailash colony. The rescue team surrounded the house and finally tranquilised the wild animal.

Hundreds of onlookers perched on rooftops and stood gazing on the roads to get a glimpse of the panther.

The deputy conservator said the panther will be released back into Jhalana forest after a medical examination.

Since Thursday, the panther's movement had created panic in the city.

The wild animal was first captured in a CCTV camera installed in a house at Takhteshahi Road near JLN Marg on Thursday.

The panther was also spotted wandering near SMS School, the RBI office across the road, near Subhodh College on Tonk Road and finally at Lalkothi area behind the state assembly building.

Earlier in September, the Forest department captured a panther 10 days after it had strayed into Smriti Van, a public park on JLN Road. The department had to install two cages to trap the wild animal. The park, which is located close Jhalana forest area, was closed for visitors at the time.

According to official figures, the count of leopards straying into the city area has seen an increase in the last few years from eight in 2014 to 13 in 2015.