Video: Leopard spotted at Korum Mall, Thane
As of 10:30 am, officials are still trying to trace the leopard, which has reportedly exited the mall’s premises and made its way to nearby Satkar Residency hotel (screengrabs from CCTV footage)
A leopard was spotted inside the parking lot of Korum Mall in Thane on Wednesday morning, sending mall security and authorities into a tizzy.
According to sources, the leopard was spotted near the parking area around 5:30 am today. Its movements were captured by a CCTV camera installed near the parking’s exit, following which authorities were notified about its presence.
The leopard must have scaled the mall’s safety wall in order enter the parking area, sources said.
As of publishing this report, the big cat is believed to have made its way to the nearby Satkar Residency hotel in Samata Nagar. Incidentally, a large crowd gathered outside the hotel after news of the leopard sighting broke out.
Officials from the fire brigade, forest department, Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) and local police are on the spot, and efforts to trace and rescue the leopard are still underway.
There have been no reports of any injury so far. Further, to prevent any untoward incident, the mall may remain shut till the leopard is found and rescued.
Over the years, the number of leopard sightings in Thane and neighbouring areas has increased owing to the rapid urbanisation, which has had an adverse effect on the feline’s natural habitat.
In most cases, no humans are harmed as leopards seldom approach them pro-actively. However, there have been cases where people have been attacked and injured.
In one such incident, a leopard entered a residential area in Nanipada in Mulund East in January last year, and left six persons injured.
