The historic Uparkot Fort in Junagadh has been closed to tourists after a leopard was spotted on the premises on Sunday.
The Forest Department has launched a search operation and placed two cages inside the fort to safely capture the animal.The leopard was first spotted climbing the fort wall near Dharagadh Gate. Tourists and locals at the site recorded videos of the animal on their mobile phones, following which people moved to safer locations.As a precautionary measure, authorities restricted entry to the fort for the day to ensure the safety of visitors.
Forest Department teams rushed to the area after receiving information about the sighting. However, increased human movement reportedly caused the leopard to move into nearby bushes and forested areas. Officials subsequently began patrolling the surrounding area and conducting an extensive search.The leopard was reportedly spotted twice again in the fort premises during the night.
Following the repeated sightings, the Forest Department intensified the operation and installed two cages inside the fort in an effort to capture the animal safely.Forest officials and police personnel are continuing to monitor the situation. Police have also been deployed outside the fort to prevent tourists from entering the premises.
The fort will remain closed to visitors until the leopard is located and safely captured. Further updates are expected as the search and monitoring operation continues.