The Indore leopard rescue operation has taken an unexpected turn after a healthy three-year-old male was caught in a cage meant for an injured leopard near Crescent Water Park on Saturday. The injured animal, which was seen near a house in Umariya Khurd on Thursday, remains untraced, according to forest department officials.
The cage had been installed after residents reported seeing a leopard with blood marks and injuries on its head and face near a villager’s house. Forest teams intensified searches in the surrounding area and placed cages at strategic locations to capture the injured animal safely.
The leopard caught on Saturday was taken to Ralamandal, where forest officials examined it and found no visible injuries. Divisional forest officer Sudhakar Singh said the animal was subsequently released in a forested area away from human habitation.
Officials believe the captured leopard was different from the injured animal seen on Thursday. The healthy male is believed to have entered the cage while looking for food, rather than being the animal targeted in the operation.
The distinction is significant for residents of Umariya Khurd and nearby areas, where leopard sightings had raised concern. Although the release of the healthy animal has reduced the immediate concern involving that particular leopard, the forest department’s search continues because the injured animal has not yet been located.
Forest teams are monitoring the surrounding areas for signs of movement and continuing efforts to trace the leopard. Officials have not announced that the operation has ended, and the cages and surveillance measures remain linked to the search for the injured animal.
