Leopard scare: Fresh pugmarks have residents at Sainik Farms on their toes

NEW DELHI: Pugmarks believed to belong to a leopard were seen in Sanik Farms, where the forest department had hunted for a big cat but not found one.

The cameras, which the department had removed on Tuesday, are back in a different area - W21 lane in Western Avenue - as the pugmarks were seen there. Forest department officials did not comment on why the cameras were back.

The residents think the pugmarks are fresh, but Sushil Kumar Jain, who runs a wildlife NGO which was helping the foresters, thinks the pugmarks are three-day-old.

On Tuesday, after the leopard wasn't seen, the department removed a fencing, cameras and traps. The foresters had thought the animal had moved to Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary.

"People are saying these are fresh pugmarks, but the forest team is confused... The road where the pugmarks were found... goes towards the jungle," Hardeep Singh Bhalla, RWA president of Western Avenue, said. There was panic among residents. "We have told people to keep pets inside and move in groups," Singh added.

"We believe these are old pugmarks as the edges are not sharp. Based on its sharpness, one can figure out how old a pugmark is. We believe it is a three-day old pugmark. But officials from the department have installed cameras," Sushil Kumar Jain of the wildlife NGO Bail a Tail said.