Greater Noida West: A video purportedly showing a leopard near Aimanabad village has gone viral on social media, creating concern among residents of nearby villages and several housing societies in Greater Noida West.
The footage shows an animal standing and then moving forward. Some villagers claimed that the animal was a leopard. Following the circulation of the video, concerns increased among residents in the surrounding area.
Several AOAs and builder managements have reportedly asked security personnel to remain particularly alert and keep a close watch on the surroundings as a precautionary measure.
Police And Forest Department Inspect Area
After receiving information about the alleged sighting, a joint team of the police and Forest Department inspected the area on Tuesday.
Forest Department regional in-charge Ramavatar Chaudhary said officials took cognisance of the complaint and viral video and personally inspected the location.
However, officials did not find any evidence during the inspection that could confirm the presence of a leopard or another large carnivorous animal in the area.
Forest Department Says Video Is 11 Days Old
According to the Forest Department, the viral video is approximately 11 days old and does not represent a fresh sighting.
Officials have also raised the possibility that the animal visible in the footage is not a leopard but a fishing cat.
The clarification has provided some relief to residents who were concerned about a possible leopard moving close to densely populated residential areas.
Earlier Wildlife Incidents In Greater Noida
This is not the first time that reports of wild animals have created concern in Greater Noida and surrounding areas.
Around seven to eight years ago, a leopard was reportedly captured in Sadullapur village.
There have also been reports of a leopard allegedly being spotted in the basement of Ajnara Homes, following which the Forest Department conducted a search operation in the area for several days.
Residents Advised Not To Believe Rumours
The Forest Department is continuing to monitor the situation and has appealed to residents and villagers not to believe or circulate unverified information.
At the same time, residents have been advised to remain cautious, particularly in areas close to vacant plots, agricultural land and other open spaces.
For now, officials have not confirmed any recent leopard sighting in the area. The viral video is being treated as an old clip, while the animal visible in it is suspected to be a fishing cat rather than a leopard.