A lot can go wrong at an Indian wedding, given the sheer scale and complexity of the ceremonies and customs involved: wardrobe malfunctions, fuming fufajis and buas over hospitality arrangements, catering mishaps and whatnot.
However, a wedding celebration in Lucknow on Wednesday took an unexpectedly wild turn when an uninvited guest, a fully grown leopard crashed the festivities, triggering chaos at the venue.
Leopard at the mandap! Bride & groom flee to save their lives
लखनऊ , शादी समारोह के दौरान मैरेज हॉल में उस समय अफरातफरी मच गई जब पता चला कि वहां एक #तेंदुआ घुस गया है. घटना लखनऊ के पारा के बुद्धेश्वर रिंग रोड स्थित एमएम लॉन में हुई है. मामले की सूचना मिलते ही वन विभाग और पुलिस मौके पर पहुंची l #Lucknow #Leopard 🐆 pic.twitter.com/YUoVsy2kl5
— A K Srivastava 🇮🇳 🌟 (@Anchal107) February 13, 2025
The shocking incident took place in the Buddheshwar Road area when the leopard entered a banquet hall, sending guests into a frenzy as they scrambled for safety. Panic gripped the gathering as people frantically ran to save their lives. Even the bride and groom, caught in the turmoil, abandoned the ceremony and locked themselves inside a car to escape the sudden threat.
Notably, several guests managed to capture glimpses of the wild intruder prowling freely around the venue. The footage quickly went viral on social media and was even picked up by reputed news channels. However, unlike the tiger scare in Rehmankhera, this time, the forest department acted swiftly, neutralizing the threat and rescuing the leopard just in time.
3.5-hour rescue operation ends with leopard captured, official injured
दूल्हा, दुल्हन और तेंदुआ तीनों सुरक्षित शादी संपन्न…. #lucknow #Lucknowdiaries #leopard #leopardattack #wildlife #lucknowcity pic.twitter.com/Uc4gDdjwk9
— Sumit Kumar (@skphotography68) February 13, 2025
Police and forest department officials rushed to the scene as soon as the alarm was raised, kicking off an intense rescue mission. After hours of effort, the leopard was finally tranquilized and captured around 2 am, bringing an end to the chaos. The dramatic operation was led by the Lucknow forest department, with two veterinary doctors from Kanpur lending their expertise.
Although none of the wedding guests were injured, a forest officer Mukaddar Ali sustained a hand injury during the rescue.
As per the forest team, the leopard was in good health and will soon be safely relocated to its natural habitat.
