Srinagar, 13 June: Locals in Natipora area of Srinagar on Saturday claimed to have spotted a leopard in the area even as the Wildlife Department said it was ascertaining the presence of the big cat.
As soon as claims about the presence of the big cat made the rounds in Har Namal locality of Natipora last night, announcements were made on the loudspeakers of the mosques to alert residents.
In the meantime, a distress call was made to the Wildlife Department at 10:30 pm after which a team of Wildlife officials rushed to the spot to catch the purported big cat.
Chief Wildlife Warden Kashmir, Rashid Naqash told Greater Kashmir that the presence of the big cat has not yet been ascertained in the area.
An eight-member team is in the area and the presence of the leopard is being established, he said.
Naqash further said that the department has been lately receiving several SOS calls from Srinagar areas with people claiming to have “spotted” big cats.
“But majority of the claims turn out to be false or just an assumption made by the locals,” he said.