Residents of Balapur and surrounding suburbs were alarmed on Friday following the reported sighting of two leopards inside the premises of the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), a high-security defence research facility operated by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Vignyanakancha on the southern outskirts of Hyderabad.
A video that surfaced online appeared to show the two leopards moving through a wooded section of the RCI campus. Officials believe the animals may have strayed in from adjoining forested areas such as the Himayat Sagar catchment or the Vanasthalipuram reserve forest, both located near the campus.
Residents who claimed to have seen the animals alerted the Balapur police and the Telangana Forest Department. Responding to the alert, forest officials and police personnel visited the site to verify the reports. Authorities have since reviewed CCTV footage and launched a search operation using thermal drones and forest trackers to monitor the animals' movement.
As a precaution, Defence Laboratories School, located within the Vignyanakancha complex, issued an advisory urging parents to ensure that children remained indoors and did not move about unaccompanied until further notice.
Forest officials noted that leopards sometimes ventured into human-populated areas in search of food or water, particularly during the monsoon season when vegetation is dense and prey movement shifts. They advised residents to avoid entering isolated or wooded areas, especially during early mornings and late evenings.
Efforts are underway to trace the animals and facilitate their return to forested areas without harm. The Forest Department has also planned awareness initiatives to inform residents about appropriate safety measures during wildlife encounters.
RCI is a critical DRDO laboratory involved in the development of advanced missile and defence systems. Its campus borders ecologically sensitive zones, making occasional wildlife movement a known risk in the region.