Tensions increased at Tripura's Gokul Nagar tea farm in the Sepahijala district on Saturday morning after several workers claimed to have seen leopard footprints in the tea estate region. Soon after, forest department personnel arrived and began searching operation. However, no evidence of the big cat were detected in the vicinity, according to authorities.

According to local sources, one of the tea plantation workers is a former employee of the Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary, which also serves as a National Park for leopard protection. When he arrived at the tea plantation a few kilometres away from the sanctuary to begin his day, he saw some footmarks that resembled leopard tracks.

"I used to feed the leopards within their enclosures," he explained. Leopard and tiger footprints are easily identifiable to me. This path has undoubtedly been used by a leopard." The tea estate manager hurried to the scene as soon as workers raised the alarm, informing police and forest officials.

Our entire staff is scared. We can't put their safety in jeopardy. Officials from the Forest Department are undertaking search operations in the surrounding areas to see if the estate is resistant to wild animal attacks, according to the management. In response to an inquiry, he stated that he was unaware of any encounters of the large cats in the area.

Senior Forest Guard Tapan Kumar Nandi headed a team from Charilam Forest Unit that combed the whole region as well as suspected hiding locations for such animals. "Leopard mobility is quite unlikely in this area." I believe the tea estate employees mistook the footsteps for leopard tracks. It may be a wild cat or a civet, based on our observations. Civets are plentiful here, and they often prey on village animals," Nandi said. However, the hunt continues, and activity at the tea estate has been halted for the day.

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