Leopard Enters Ghaziabad School Premises; Classes Suspended and Exams Postponed

New Delhi, February 25, 2026: A wave of panic swept through the Govindpuram area of Ghaziabad on Wednesday morning, February 25, 2026, after a leopard was spotted roaming the premises of a local school. The sighting led to the immediate suspension of classes and the postponement of scheduled examinations as authorities scrambled to secure the area.

Incident Overview

The predator was first detected on CCTV footage around 5:15 AM at Greenfield Senior Secondary School in the G-Block of Govindpuram. The footage captured the big cat leaping over a boundary wall and moving through the school corridors toward a classroom.

A school security guard noticed the suspicious movement near the classroom area and immediately alerted the school management and local police. Fortunately, because the sighting occurred early in the morning before the bulk of students had arrived, no injuries were reported.

Emergency Response and Evacuation

Upon receiving the alert, the Kavi Nagar police and the Forest Department rushed to the scene. To ensure the safety of the community, the following measures were taken:

• Immediate Closure: School authorities sent out emergency messages via WhatsApp groups to parents, advising them not to send their children to school.
• Safe Evacuation: The few staff members and students who had already arrived were safely evacuated through a secure exit.
• Exams Postponed: The school, which is affiliated with the CBSE, was scheduled to hold internal examinations today. These have been deferred until further notice.
• Police Cordon: Local police, equipped with helmets and batons, established a perimeter around the school and blocked traffic on the Govindpuram road to prevent crowds from gathering.

Ongoing Rescue Operation

Forest Department officials have confirmed that the leopard is believed to be holed up within the school’s dense vegetation or a classroom. A specialized team is currently monitoring the site, and a trap cage has been set up at the school’s boundary.

“Our priority is the safe capture of the animal without any harm to the public or the leopard itself. We are currently analyzing CCTV trails to pin down its exact location before attempting tranquilization,” stated a senior Forest Department official.

Rising Human-Wildlife Conflict

This incident follows a series of leopard sightings in the Ghaziabad and Delhi-NCR region over the past year. Experts suggest that shrinking forest buffers and the search for easy prey—often stray dogs—are driving these big cats into urban settlements.

Local residents are advised to remain indoors and avoid the vicinity of the school until the Forest Department gives an “all-clear” signal.