A morning walk in Kota turned into a scramble for safety on Monday when a panther was spotted inside the city's CB Garden, sending the people gathered there running for the exits.
Police and forest department rush to the garden
As word of the sighting spread, police and forest department officials arrived at CB Garden within minutes. Additional SP Subhash Mishra reached the spot in person to oversee the situation. Forest department staff moved quickly to pinpoint the panther's exact location so that a rescue attempt could be planned safely. With the animal confirmed to be inside the garden, authorities immediately halted public movement in the area and cordoned off the premises. Forest personnel kept a continuous watch on the surrounding zone to make sure the panther did not slip away in another direction while the rescue team worked out how to safely capture it.
Panther climbs a tall tree, complicating the tranquillising attempt
The rescue effort hit a snag soon after it began. The panther climbed a tall tree inside the garden and settled on one of its branches, well out of easy reach from the ground. Because of the height, the forest team found it difficult to get a clean shot with a tranquilliser gun, since a poor shot risked injuring the animal or provoking it further. Faced with this challenge, the team decided against firing from directly below and instead began looking for an alternative way to reach the panther safely.
A crane called in to reach the panther's height
To get close enough to the panther without risk, the forest department decided to bring in a crane. One has since been called to the spot, and the plan is for the rescue team to use it to reach the branch where the panther is perched and attempt to tranquillise it from there. The department's stated priority is to sedate and bring the panther down without causing it any harm. Once tranquillised, the animal will be moved to a secure location as part of the rescue process.
Fear grips the garden as the operation continues
CB Garden is one of the city's better-known public spaces, and the sight of a panther there so early in the morning left many of those present visibly shaken. Forest department staff are tracking the animal's every move, and people have been kept well away from the area for the duration of the operation to prevent anyone from getting hurt. Police and forest teams are expected to remain stationed at the site, keeping watch over the entire area, until the panther has been tranquillised with the crane's help and safely rescued.
