Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh): Panic gripped students and staff after a leopard was spotted inside a private school campus in the Sanjay Nagar area on Wednesday morning, prompting authorities to postpone scheduled examinations and launch a search operation.
The big cat was seen entering Greenfield School at around 5.15 am, according to CCTV footage reviewed by officials. The school premises were immediately evacuated, and no injuries have been reported so far.
Leopard enters campus in early hours
As per preliminary information, the leopard was first captured on CCTV cameras moving towards the school boundary wall before entering the campus. Officials believe the animal may still be holed up somewhere within the premises.
The sighting created panic among parents, students and teaching staff as news spread rapidly in the locality. Authorities decided to postpone examinations scheduled for the day as a precautionary measure.
“The safety of children is our top priority. Exams have been deferred until the situation is brought under control,” a school official said.
Search operation under way
Personnel from the local police and the Forest Department reached the school soon after receiving information. Teams equipped with protective gear, sticks and safety helmets began combing the campus.
Forest officials have set up traps along the school boundary and are attempting to track the animal’s movement. Efforts are being made to tranquilise the leopard once it is located. However, at the time of reporting, the animal had not yet been found.
Security has been tightened in and around the school, and residents of the area have been advised to remain indoors until further notice. Authorities are also monitoring nearby residential pockets to ensure the leopard does not stray into densely populated areas.
Students evacuated safely
School authorities said that students and staff were safely evacuated as soon as the sighting was confirmed. Parents were informed, and children were sent back home to avoid any risk.
Officials emphasised that no one was injured during the incident. Continuous surveillance is being maintained within the campus and surrounding streets.
Forest Department officials stated that such incidents occasionally occur when leopards stray from nearby forested areas into urban spaces in search of food or shelter.
Previous urban leopard sightings
Incidents involving leopards entering urban neighbourhoods have been reported in several cities in recent years. In a separate case last year in Mumbai, a leopard was spotted along Talav Road before entering the Parijat Building in a residential area. The animal reportedly injured four people during the commotion before civic authorities and fire brigade personnel conducted a rescue operation.
Wildlife experts note that rapid urbanisation and shrinking forest corridors have increased instances of human-animal encounters. Capture operations in such cases typically involve trained wildlife teams, use of bait, deployment of traps and, if necessary, tranquilisation under veterinary supervision.
Authorities urge caution
In the Ghaziabad case, officials have appealed to residents not to spread rumours or attempt to approach the animal. “We request people to stay indoors and allow trained personnel to handle the situation,” a Forest Department officer said.
Drone surveillance and additional manpower may be deployed if required. Once captured, the leopard is likely to be relocated to a suitable forest habitat as per wildlife protocols.
The search operation was continuing at the time of filing this report. Authorities have assured that normal school activities will resume only after the campus is declared safe.