NIZAMABAD: A stray leopard on the Telangana University campus created panic among students and staffers, leading officials to issue an alert notice. Semester exams scheduled for Friday and Saturday have been postponed to January 22 and 23. The university is spread across 540 acre in Sudhapally village of Dichpally mandal. The campus is surrounded by dense tree cover on both sides.
Swami, an MA student, was on his morning walk on Friday when he reportedly spotted the leopard and promptly informed varsity’s Registrar Professor Naseem. The latter called the Collector and the forest department. On Wednesday, some farmers too claimed to have seen a leopard and heard its roar. Security on the TU campus has been tightened. University officials have asked students not to step out after dark.
Revenue and forest department officials searched for the leopard’s pug marks on the TU campus but could not find any. District Forest Officer (DFO) Dr Sunil S Hiremath told Express that cameras have been placed at several places. If the leopard ventures into the campus again, its movements will be captured. The university has four hostels that accommodates about 2,000 students. The Registrar, university teachers and non-teaching staff interacted with the students asking them to stay alert with regard to the stray leopard.
Professor Naseem has urged police to arrange for frequent patrolling in the campus in the day and night. Police pickets have been arranged near the four hostels. The university has announced Sankranti holidays from January 11 to 17 and hopes that the issue will be resolved by then.