Public attending in judicial magistrate court in Gujarat's Surendranagar district were in for the shock of their lives when a leopard waltzed into the first class court compound on Friday. The animal was first spotted in Chotila town's JMFC court premises near the Chotila taluka panchayat office around 12.30 pm. Needless to say, a big cat straying inside the court compound trigerred panic following which forest officials were rushed to the spot.

The incident happened on 14 December after a leopard had strayed into state Secretariat complex in state capital Gandhinagar. A leopard strayed into judicial magistrate (first class) court compound in Chotila town of Surendranagar district on Friday. However, there were no reports of injury.

The leopard entered the JMFC court premises near Chotila taluka panchayat office.The court is located in the north-western part of Chotila, the town famous for its temple of goddess Chamunda.

Deputy conservator of forests (DCF), AM Parmar told the Indian Express that the animal was confined in a room inside the court building and that room had been bolted from the outside. He further added that a rescue team had arrived at the court premises and used a tranquilizer gun to subdue the animal before they captured it. Parmar told that forest rangers tranquilized the majestic animal before rescuing it and keeping it inside a trap cage.
The temple of goddess Chamunda,is well know in the town of Chotila is surrounded by a reserve forest which covers part of the Than and Chotila talukas of Rajkot and the Wankaner of neighbouring Morbi district. Leopards have been spotted frequently in this area for the past six to seven years.