Saharanpur (UP), May 26 (PTI) The forest department in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district launched a search operation after some residents of Bastam village in Deoband area sighted a leopard on Monday morning, officials said.

The sighting triggered fear across the area, prompting hundreds of residents to gather at the site.

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As soon as the information was received, teams from the Deoband police and the forest department reached the village to assess the situation.

Superintendent of Police (Rural) Sagar Jain said some villagers had seen the leopard running through the fields while they were heading out to their farms. A few villagers even managed to record videos of the leopard on their mobile phones.

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Following the sighting, the forest department initiated a search operation in the nearby fields, forests, and bushes using drone cameras, Jain said.

He added that the department is making all possible efforts to trace and capture the leopard safely.

Authorities have appealed to locals to remain cautious and avoid venturing into the fields alone. If the leopard is not located through drone surveillance and ground search, the forest team may deploy cages and trap cameras in the area.

Meanwhile, the leopard's suspected presence has created a tense atmosphere in the region.

According to Jain, alerts have also been issued to neighbouring villages to stay vigilant.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)