Leopard enters minister's bungalow in Jaipur; rescue operation underway
Jaipur (PTI): Panic spread through Jaipur's high-security Civil Lines area on Thursday after a leopard was sighted moving through residential compounds, including a school and the official bungalow of a Rajasthan cabinet minister, officials said.
The big cat was first sighted entering the Tiny Blossom Senior Secondary School, prompting the staff to lock students inside classrooms as a precaution, forest officials said.
Earlier in the day, the leopard reportedly entered the government residence of the state Water Resources Minister Suresh Singh Rawat. The minister's bungalow is located opposite the residence of senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot.
The Civil Lines zone also houses the Raj Bhavan, the chief minister's residence and the official quarters of top ministers and bureaucrats.
Forest department teams have launched a search and rescue operation. "Teams are combing the minister's bungalow and neighbouring residences. Efforts are underway to tranquilise the leopard and capture it safely," Ranger Jitendra Singh Shekhawat said.
Additional teams have been deployed to cordon off the area, and residents have been advised to stay indoors until the animal is located, he said.
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Rupee falls 9 paise to all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai (PTI): Rupee depreciated 9 paise to an all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over an India-US trade deal and persistent foreign fund outflows.
Forex traders said rupee is trading with a negative bias as investors are in wait and watch mode and awaiting cues from the India-US trade deal front.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.53 against the US dollar, then fell further to an all-time intraday low of 90.58 against the greenback, registering a fall of 9 paise over its previous close.
On Friday, the rupee had slipped 17 paise to close at an all-time low of 90.49 against the American currency.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.05 per cent lower at 98.35.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.52 per cent at USD 61.44 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex was trading 298.86 points lower at 84,968.80, while the Nifty was down 121.40 points at 25,925.55.
Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth Rs 1,114.22 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue to be in selling mode in equity and debt while RBI has been selling dollars to fund their long positions," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
