Wildlife officials install cages
HAJIN: A sense of panic has engulfed the town of Hajin in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district following the sighting of a leopard that has been roaming the area for the past four days. The wild animal was first spotted in Banher Mohalla and has since moved into neighboring localities, including Danger Mohalla and Kochak Mohalla, alarming residents who fear for their safety.
Local resident Firdous Ahmad recounted a harrowing encounter: “I heard the barking of dogs and went outside my home at 8:15 pm on Wednesday. I was shocked to spot a leopard in front of our house. I immediately informed the police, who advised me to move to a safer place and alerted others about the presence of the leopard.”
The continuous presence of the leopard has led many residents to avoid going out after dark. “We have been having sleepless nights. Even the slightest sound outside our homes terrifies us now,” Ahmad added.
President of the Civil Society Hajin, Mir Bashir Ahmad, urgently appealed to wildlife officials for a large-scale search operation, emphasizing the need to install a trap cage to capture the leopard before the situation escalates further.
Wildlife Protection Department teams responded to the situation with tranquilizer guns and nets. “Our teams are camping in the affected area, and we have set up cages to capture the leopard,” a wildlife official said.