Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Forest Department team examined the footage of closed circuit TV (CCTV) cameras from Chikalthana industrial areas on Tuesday and found nothing in it.
However, rumours spread about sighting a leopard at Cambridge Chowk late at night. The residents of Cambridge Chowk areas were awake at night.
Various schools including Podar, PSBA, Sarvodaya School and also agricultural areas were searched on Tuesday. Pugmarks were seen in the areas, however, it is a topic of discussion whether they are of a leopard or other animals.
An autorickshaw driver was returning home around Monday midnight when he saw a leopard in the area while crossing the road. When he took a U-turn, his vehicle was veered off in mud.
As his vehicle was to turn turtle, he controlled it anyhow and drove it towards Jalna Road. Because of this, information about sighting the leopard spread in the area. A team of the Forest Department reached there Tuesday afternoon and verified the incident.
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Question over pugmarks
Pugmarks were found on the side of the bridge and in the fields near the PSBA school. The school's CCTV footage shows the autorickshaw reversing his vehicle. It was being enquired whether the pugmarks found were of a leopard or hyena. The forest department’s team said the pugmarks were not of leopard. The team of foresters
including Appasaheb Tagad, Sable, and Nitin Jadhav is on patrol. But, there is no answer as to whose pugmarks are these.
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Holiday for schools due to parents' request
The forest team was informed that the schools were closed in the afternoon because of a message from the parents on the mobile phone. There is no leopard in the area and the pugmarks are of another animal. Don't spread rumours. The team is on patrol and has yet to find anything damaged by the animal.
(Dada Taur, Range Forest Officer)