A reported Greater Noida leopard sighting has prompted the forest department to inspect the NTPC power plant premises, examine paw marks and place traps in the wooded area near the facility. The animal’s identity has not been confirmed, with officials indicating that it could be a fishing cat rather than a leopard.
The alert began after a video circulated on social media showing a leopard-like animal apparently chasing another animal. A separate clip appeared to show the same animal carrying prey in its mouth. The videos were reported from the NTPC plant area in Jarcha police station limits, Greater Noida, and triggered concern among people living nearby.
After receiving information about the videos, a forest department team reached the woodland close to the plant. The team found paw marks belonging to a wild animal during its inspection. Based on the initial assessment, the animal may be a fishing cat, although the department has not issued a final confirmation of the species.
As a precaution, the department placed traps at several locations in the forested section of the plant premises. Teams are continuing to monitor the area, while residents in nearby settlements have been advised to remain alert. The measures are intended to establish whether the animal is still in the area and to prevent potential risk to people or domestic animals.
The uncertainty over the species is significant because videos of wild animals can make identification difficult, particularly when the animal is seen briefly or at a distance. In this case, the forest department’s field team has found paw marks, but the supplied report does not state that a leopard has been captured, photographed in a confirmed manner or formally identified.
The incident has also revived concerns about recurring wildlife movement around Gautam Buddh Nagar’s expanding urban and industrial areas. The report records earlier claims of wild-animal sightings in the district, including a video circulated in August 2026 from a society in Greater Noida West. The forest department had then said the video was old and that the animal could be a fishing cat.
The NTPC Dadri area has also seen previous leopard-related incidents. A leopard was reported there in 2015, followed by an effort by the forest department and local administration to capture it. Another leopard sighting was reported at the Greater Noida NTPC plant in October 2020, after which the forest department launched a capture operation.
For residents near the plant, the immediate issue is not only whether the animal is a leopard or a fishing cat, but how quickly the authorities can verify the sighting and communicate clear safety instructions. The forest department’s next steps are continued surveillance, examination of evidence and action based on the animal’s confirmed identity and location.
