Sightings of leopards are common in various areas of Dehradun but a recent incident wherein a leopard entered a wedding point in Premnagar area and injured a woman has raised public anxiety in the area. Department officials state that leopard sightings alone should not be a cause for fear but if repeated sightings and activity of the leopard are reported from any area, then department takes necessary steps for relocating the big cat away from human habitation.

It is pertinent to mention here that on Monday a leopard had entered a wedding hall in the Premnagar area and injured a woman. The department personnel reached the site but were unable to trace the leopard. locals had complained that the department staff reached the site late and was not adequately trained or ready to tranquilise and relocate the big cat, though this allegation has been denied by the department officials.

The Dehradun divisional forest officer Sushant Patnaik said that leopard sightings are bound to take place in areas neighbouring forest areas. “However, when a leopard habitually starts moving in an area where it might pose a threat to humans, we place cages and take necessary steps to relocate the big cat,” he said. Regarding the allegations made by locals about the department team not acting efficiently when called to cage the leopard at the wedding point in Premnagar area, the DFO said that the department team acted as required to deal with the situation.

At present the department has placed cages in the tea estate area here. Additionally, cages are places and efforts undertaken to relocate the leopard to a forest area from places where the big cat moves habitually close to settlements where it can pose a threat to humans, added the DFO.It is worth mentioning here that expanding human settlements, decreasing prey base in the forest areas and other factors have led to a rise in human-leopard conflict not only in suburban and rural areas of Dehradun but in various areas across the State.