Cat Or Leopard At Rashtrapati Bhavan? Mysterious Animal Spotted During Oath Ceremony, Delhi Police Reacts

A viral video clip from the event shows an animal walking along the foyer located upstairs from the Rashtrapati Bhavan forecourt, where the oath ceremony was held.

A clip showed an animal walking in the background as BJP MP Durga Das Uikey signed the register sparking speculation.

There appeared to be a mysterious gatecrasher at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath for his third term along with his council of ministers.

A viral video clip from the event shows an animal walking along the foyer located upstairs from the Rashtrapati Bhavan forecourt, where the oath ceremony was held. The animal was caught on camera in the background just as Durgadas Uikey, the BJP MP from Betul, Madhya Pradesh, proceeded towards President Droupadi Murmu to greet her after taking oath.

The animal spotted had a seemingly feline gait and shape, leading social media users to wonder if it was a leopard prowling the majestic premises of the President’s residence. 

Can you spot something unusual happening here?

An animal, allegedly a leopard, was spotted walking at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

This happened when MP Durga Das was carrying out official procedures on stage. pic.twitter.com/GcH8buYFPF

— Sneha Mordani (@snehamordani) June 10, 2024

With the secure nature of the Rashtrapati Bhavan making this possibility seem dim, others speculated if the animal could have been a pet.

However, Delhi Police clarified that the animal captured on the camera is a common house cat and warned against "frivolous rumours."

These facts are not true, the animal captured on camera is a common house cat. Please don't adhere to such frivolous rumours.

— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) June 10, 2024

"Some media channels and social media handles are showing an animal image captured during the live telecast of the oath-taking ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan yesterday, claiming it to be a wild animal. These facts are not true, the animal captured on camera is a common house cat. Please don't adhere to such frivolous rumours," Delhi Police said.

A report in Hindustan Times, however, suggested the animal could have been attracted to the Rashtrapati Bhavan by its Amrit Udyan, a lush 15-acre expanse of gardens said to be home to a variety of flora and fauna.

The grand oath-taking ceremony on Sunday was attended by 8,000 guests, including foreign heads of state and government, dignitaries, industrialists and film stars. 

Seventy-two ministers were sworn in, including the PM and 30 Cabinet ministers. Modi is only the second Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru to take oath for a third term. While the BJP lost its majority in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, its coalition – the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) – had enough numbers to form the government.