Leopard enters wedding celebration in Lucknow, bride and groom forced to take refuge in a car for hours

A leopard disrupted a wedding in Lucknow on Wednesday night, causing panic and injuring a forest official. The animal entered a banquet hall on Buddheshwar road, sending guests fleeing. The bride and groom were forced to take refuge in a car. The incident occurred at MM Lawn on Budheshwar Ring Road around 11:40 pm, causing hundreds of guests to flee in panic. Police and forest officials arrived on the scene and tranquilized the leopard around 2 a.m. Forest official Mukaddar Ali was injured during the capture. A video appears to show the leopard grabbing an official’s weapon.

Authorities respond to emergency call

DCP, West Zone, Vishwajeet Srivastava, confirmed that the wedding was for the sister of Deepak Kumar, a local resident. Police received an SOS through UP 112, and a team was dispatched to the scene. The forest department was also alerted, and another team worked to evacuate the venue while launching a search for the animal.

Guests panic as leopard enters

According to DCP Srivastava, the wedding was proceeding normally when the leopard entered from behind a tent. Initially, some guests thought it was a stray dog or a prank, but as the animal moved toward the crowd, panic ensued. "But the joyous occasion took a terrifying turn when a leopard entered the premises from behind a tent. Initially, some guests assumed it was a prank or a stray dog. However, as soon as the big cat moved towards the crowd, panic set in. Soon, a stampede-like situation ensued as guests pushed their way toward the exit," said Srivastava.


Two cameramen were injured in the rush. The leopard then climbed onto the rooftop of the hall area.

Forest team engages the leopard

Lucknow Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sitanshu Pandey said the forest department team arrived and began searching the hall. "Officers cautiously entered the marriage hall, scanning for any signs of the leopard. As they climbed onto the second floor of the hall, they discovered that the animal had taken refuge behind broken furniture. Just as forest guard Muqaddar Ali approached the animal, it lunged at him, slashing his right hand. Despite the injury, the guard managed to retreat as his colleagues stepped in to contain the situation and opened a fire (tranquilizer)," said Pandey.

A forest official described the moment of the attack: "It all happened in a split second. The leopard was silent and hidden. The moment it felt threatened, it attacked."

Rescue operation underway

Ali received first aid and was taken to a hospital for treatment. DFO Pandey stated that the leopard was still in the hall area, and the iron channel outside had been locked. All guests were safely evacuated, and specialised rescue teams were on their way.

Police and forest officials have advised nearby residents to stay cautious, avoid going out alone at night, and keep rooftops and doors securely locked until the leopard is captured.

(Inputs from PTI and TOI)