Lucknow: A unique incident created a stir in the capital of Uttar Pradesh on Monday night. Two jackals entered a mosque located in front of Patnala, after which the forest department team came into action. The forest workers, who arrived on the information of the local people, caught one jackal, but the other cleverly escaped. Now the forest department teams are engaged in the search for that escaped jackal. This incident also points to the increasing presence of wild animals in the city.

Night’s uproar and forest department action

As soon as the news of jackals entering the mosque was received late on Monday night, a forest department team reached the spot. Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sitanshu Pandey said, “Our team immediately took action and caught one jackal. He was taken to a safe forest and left there. But the other jackal escaped from there.” He said that the teams are now patrolling the area, so that the absconding jackal can be caught as soon as possible. Pandey also assured that jackals do not usually attack humans, so there is no need to panic.

Nature of jackals and their presence in the city

Jackals are wild animals, which often make their nests in small bushes or around villages. According to DFO Pandey, “These animals prefer to stay away from humans and incidents of their attack have been seen very rarely.” But it is unusual for jackals to reach a populated area like a mosque. The forest department believes that due to urbanization and shrinking of forests, these animals are now turning towards settlements. Pandey says, “If the second jackal is still around, we will catch it soon. People have been advised to be alert.”

Sequence of wild animals in Lucknow

This is not the first time that wild animals have surprised people in Lucknow. Two days ago, a leopard was seen in Mandauli village of Kakori, the search for which is still on. In December 2024, there were reports of leopard sighting in Rehman Kheda area as well. Local resident Ramesh Yadav says, “We heard a tiger-like roar that night. Later it was found out that it had hunted a Nilgai.” In February, a leopard entered a marriage hall in the city. In that incident, the groom jumped out of the window and ran away out of fear, the pictures of which went viral on social media.

Clash between city and forest

It is clear from these incidents that the presence of wild animals in Lucknow is no longer a new thing. Environmental expert Dr. Anil Mishra says, “Due to urbanization, the area of ​​forests is decreasing. As a result, animals like jackals, leopards are coming to settlements in search of food and shelter.” He believes that to prevent such incidents, it is necessary to create a balance between the forest and the city. At the same time, local people are worried. Mohammad Ali, who lives near the mosque, says, “I get scared hearing the jackal’s voice at night. The forest department should catch it soon.”

Search continues, vigilance is necessary

Forest department teams are now engaged in searching for that escaped jackal day and night. DFO Pandey said, “Our aim is to catch the animal and return it to its natural habitat. For this, surveillance has been increased in the surrounding areas.” He has appealed to the people that if the jackal is seen, they should inform the forest department instead of disturbing it.

This incident is not only an interesting incident, but also highlights the growing tension between the city and nature. Will the forest department be able to catch the escaped jackal? And will such incidents stop in Lucknow? These questions are still unanswered, but for now the eyes of the city dwellers are fixed on every activity of the forest workers.