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Pune: A leopard was sighted twice at Pune airport on Monday, first around 7am and then around 8pm. In one video posted on a local citizens' group, the big cat is seen on the airport's airside, a restricted area where critical aircraft operations such as landings, take-offs and ground movements take place. Flight operations were not impacted on Monday, sources from the airport said.
In another video of the leopard posted on X by a flyer around 9pm on Monday, a plane can be seen nearby. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Forest department officials TOI spoke to confirmed they were tracking a leopard at the airport. "It was spotted in the morning around 7am on Monday and later in the day around 8pm.
In the evening, it was spotted roughly 500 metres from the runway and 700-800 metres from the new terminal building. We are now searching for it on the airport's airside. We have set up camera traps.
We hope to capture it on Tuesday," said Suresh Varak, range forest officer, Pune Forest Division . The leopard sighting came on the same day the Pune airport advisory committee had a meeting to discuss presence of wild animals in the airport area. During the meeting, it's learnt that officials from the Indian Air Force, which jointly operates Pune airport, urged authorities to take action.
The advisory committee meeting was chaired by MoS Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol and was attended by IAF, CISF and other key officials. Mohol told TOI: "During the meeting, there was a talk about the leopard sighting. I will be talking to Pune Airport director and other authorities to find out more.
" Pune airport's runway and ATC are managed by the IAF, which also has a squadron of Sukhoi fighter aircraft stationed there. There was no comment from Pune airport director. IAF authorities had not responded to queries TOI sent via email till the time of going to press.
People who live near the airport said they've now alerted all their neighbours to lock their doors and exercise caution. One resident of a housing society in Vimannagar said the leopard was seen inside the Air Force Station campus a few days ago. On Monday, it was seen again, the resident said.
The video posted on the citizens' group, in fact, was taken from inside the Air Force Station campus. It showed the big cat, lit by spotlights, leaping over the barbed wire of the boundary wall. A retired IAF officer who lives in a housing society near the airport said the Air Force school inside the campus has been given a holiday on Tuesday.
He said the exact reason for the announcement was not mentioned in the holiday notice..
