Leopard alert in Balapur Hyderabad as two big cats spotted inside RCI campus

Hyderabad: Two leopards were sighted inside the high-security Research Centre Imarat (RCI) campus of Balapur in Hyderabad, setting off a major leopard alert and triggering intensive tracking operations across the area.

Forest personnel armed with tranquillizer guns, cages, and surveillance drones have launched a large-scale operation across the 1,800-acre campus and surrounding localities. The animals are suspected to have entered from the Manchirevula forest corridor following recent habitat disruption.

Officials issued a public advisory asking residents to avoid forested areas around RCI, refrain from walking alone after dusk, and report sightings to the Forest Department (040-28881111) or the police (100).

Balapur has seen rising incidents of human-wildlife encounters, with three leopard sightings since 2024. Forest officials say rapid urban expansion near the Osman Sagar catchment is fragmenting wildlife corridors and pushing big cats into residential zones.

As of Friday, both leopards remain untraced. Authorities have deployed camera traps and imposed movement restrictions around the RCI campus. Schools in the area have suspended all outdoor activities as a precaution.

Forest Officer Anil Kumar said search teams are combing the zone systematically and that public safety remains the top priority. Surveillance and ground operations are continuing round-the-clock.