Jaipur, Nov 20 : A leopard that created panic for nearly two hours in Jaipurâ??s VVIP Civil Lines area was finally tranquilised by the Forest Department on Thursday. The big cat was first spotted in the basement of a house in Lane No. 6.

After roaming through nearby houses and lanes, it eventually returned to the same house, where the rescue team tranquilised it.

The leopard has now been safely brought out of the bungalow and will be shifted to the Jhalana Leopard Reserve, said forest officials. "We are waiting for the animal to become fully unconscious before transporting it," officials said while preparing to shift it to Jhalana Leopard Reserve.

The rescue operation involved more than 30 personnel, including senior officers, owing to the densely populated nature of the locality. The leopard was finally tranquillised inside a house in Lane No. 6 at around 11 a.m., after which the teams were seen busy preparing to transport it to Jhalana Reserve.

The leopard had entered Roop Nagar Colony, about 200 meters from Minister Suresh Rawatâ??s bungalow. It was seen hiding in a house garden as people monitored its movement from rooftops initially.

The animal then continued moving through various houses and was seen heading towards Dispensary No. 4. A search operation was underway in a school near Minister Rawatâ??s residence. Forest teams tried hard to track and tranquillise the leopard.

The officials were reported when fresh footprints were seen at Minister Suresh Singh Rawatâ??s bungalow. Congress leader Sachin Pilotâ??s bungalow is located opposite his bungalow. The area was then cordoned off. The leopard had also earlier entered the Tiny Blossom Senior Secondary School in the morning before entering Rawat's bungalow.

The students here were locked inside classrooms for safety. Local resident Sukhdev Jangid reported that the leopard first entered Minister Rawatâ??s bungalow and then the adjacent house.

It needs to be mentioned here that the Civil Lines area, home to the Chief Minister and several ministers, witnessed leopard movement near Hari Marg close to Raj Bhavan in the morning. Multiple rescue teams and tranquilliser experts were deployed on the occasion.

The situation has now been brought under control, and officials confirmed that the leopard will be relocated safely to the Jhalana Leopard Reserve after complete sedation.

/IANS