Leopard gatecrashes Lucknow wedding: Forest official injured; guests safely evacuated

The commotion began when the leopard entered the marriage hall during the ceremony.

A wedding celebration in the Para area of Lucknow turned into a scene of chaos when an unexpected guest—a leopard—gatecrashed the venue, causing panic among the attendees. The chaotic incident led to a 200-minute-long rescue operation, after which the leopard was trapped and safely captured by a team from the Lucknow Forest Department, aided by two veterinary doctors from Kanpur.

The commotion began when the leopard entered the marriage hall during the ceremony. Wedding guests quickly alerted the police authorities, and a joint team from the police and the forest department rushed to the scene. However, during the efforts to locate and subdue the leopard, a forest worker, Muqaddar Ali, was attacked by the animal. As he approached the creature hiding behind broken furniture on the second floor of the hall, it lunged at him, biting his right hand. Ali was immediately treated at the scene and taken to a nearby hospital for further care.

. #Lucknow #leopard #Wedding #UttarPradesh pic.twitter.com/DpMU7SWucD
Ravi Pandey (@ravipandey2643) February 13, 2025

While the wild animal created havoc, the bride, groom, and their families were quickly evacuated by the police. The wedding ceremony was temporarily paused until the leopard was safely removed. The guests applauded the swift and coordinated response from the police, forest department, and veterinary team, who worked together to ensure no further injuries occurred.

The forest department confirmed that the leopard would be relocated to a safer environment, ensuring the safety of both the animal and the public.