In a video that quickly went viral on social media, a leopard calmly walks along the railway tracks inside the Bhanwartanka tunnel on the Bilaspur-Katni line in Chhattisgarh.
The footage was taken from the locomotive cab. The driver noticed the animal ahead and immediately reduced speed to let it move away.
The leopard continued walking between the rails for some time, then calmly turned into the forest surrounding the tunnel.
The Khongsara-Bhanwartanka section passes through dense forests and hills, where wild animals, including leopards and elephants, are often encountered.
After the incident, the forest department intensified patrolling and monitoring in the area. Railway staff expressed concern about their safety while working on the tracks.
The video appeared on August 27, 2026, and is already being discussed in Indian media. What makes wild cats choose the rails instead of their usual trails?
