Leopard sighted near Bhubaneswar airport, residents requested to stay calm

Panic gripped the residents of Palaspalli in Bhubaneswar, around 2km from the city airport, after some locals claimed to have spotted a leopard entering a business establishment in the area, official sources said. A CCTV footage collected from the upscale area, which is also close to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's residence, corroborated their claims, they said.

According to the locals, the leopard scaled the boundary wall and entered the premises of the commercial establishment Sunday night. City Divisional Forest Officer Ashok Mishra said a team of 25 personnel has been sent to Palaspalli Monday after verification of the footage.

"I have requested people to stay calm and not disturb the animal if it is spotted again. Disturbing the leopard might turn it hostile," he said. Stating that sighting of a leopard is "unusual" in Palaspalli, he said the animal might strayed into the area from nearby Chandaka forest.

(With inputs from agencies.)