Leopard spotted on DRDO's Pune laboratory campus, second time since 2022
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Pune: Security guards at Research and Development Establishment (Engineers), a premier Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratory, spotted a leopard on its Alandi road campus early on Monday.
As a precautionary measure, Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) officials issued a special advisory for personnel, including scientists, working at different facilities throughout the campus.
This was the second time since 2022 that a leopard entered the approximately 100-acre campus of the laboratory engaged in the indigenous development of various engineering systems for all three wings of the Indian defence forces.
The residential complex for Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) scientists and staffers is located outside the main gate on Pune-Alandi Road, separate from the lab's technical areas.
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A senior official on Monday told TOI: "After confirming the security guards' alert about the leopard on the campus, we issued the advisory to ensure a safe environment. Work at the laboratory was slightly disrupted, as we told the scientists and personnel in areas near the rear gate not to report for duty.
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Their safety is a priority."
The campus of the lab has significant greenery and is adjacent to large campuses of the Border Roads Organisation, General Reserve Engineering Force, and Training Battalion II of the Bombay Engineering Group and Centre. Additionally, forested areas of Charoli village are barely a few kilometres from the laboratory.
Forest division (Pune) officials inspected the campus, but could not locate the leopard.
Suresh Varak, range forest officer, Pune, told TOI: "We have set up two camera traps on the campus. We have requested the laboratory personnel to trim the grass that has grown on the campus."
He said, "Despite the presence of an extensive network of CCTV cameras of Research and Development Establishment (Engineers), the leopard was yet to be captured on video. We suspect the leopard might have entered the campus a few days ago.
Our personnel will review the CCTV camera footage for clues. So far, there is no recorded evidence."
Forest officials suspect that the leopard might be wandering in the area because of the abundant greenery and hilly terrain surrounding the laboratory. In 2022, a thorough inspection of the campus was conducted after the leopard was spotted. However, the animal was not captured then.
Officials suspected that the leopard might have strayed into the Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) campus in search of prey. "Stray dogs can be found both inside and outside the laboratory, making them easy targets for animals like leopards," an official said.
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