Advocates run for their lives after leopard strays into court compound in Gujarat's Surendranagar district

The leopard was tranquilised and rescued by forest rangers (Representative Image)  |  Photo Credit: BCCL

Gandhinagar: Attendees at a judicial magistrate court in Gujarat's Surendranagar district were in for the shock of their lives when a leopard waltzed into the first class court compound on Friday. The animal was first spotted in Chotila town's JMFC court premises near the Chotila taluka panchayat office around 12.30 pm. Needless to say, a big cat straying inside the court compound trigerred panic following which forest officials were rushed to the spot.

Deputy conservator of forests (DCF), AM Parmar told the Indian Express that the animal was confined in a room inside the court building and that room had been bolted from the outside. He further added that a rescue team had arrived at the court premises and used a tranquiliser gun to subdue the animal before they captured it. Parmar told the national daily that forest rangers tranquilised the majestic animal before rescuing it and keeping it inside a trap cage.

Well known for its temple of goddess Chamunda, the town of Chotila is surrounded by a reserve forest which covers part of the Than and Chotila talukas of Rajkot and the Wankaner of neighbouring Morbi district. Leopards have been spotted frequently in this area for the past six to seven years.

Earlier this year, a stray leopard walked into the Secretariat in Gandhinagar trigerring chaos inside the compound. Forest rangers were alerted and a team from the Sasan wildlife division in Junagadh managed to rescue the animal following an operation that lasted for two whole days.

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