Maruti Halts Production Momentarily At Its Manesar Plant. Here's Why

Workers ran helter-skelter on Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant when a leopard was found roaming inside its engine department prompting authorities to cordon off the area and launch a search operation, police said. The wild cat entered the Maruti Suzuki Powertrain Ltd (MSPL) around 4 am yesterday. Security personnel on duty found it roaming in the department which led to the suspension of morning shift of the factory. Employees, who were in the night duty, had consequently vacated the facility.

The MSPL is an engine assembling unit of the Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) spread over 600 acres adjacent to the Aravalli mountain range in Manesar.

MSIL worker's union president Kuldeep Jhangu said when the guards raised alarm on seeing the big cat, it entered the main engine assembling facility of the factory.

Thousands of workers, who arrived for the morning shift at around 7 am, were asked to stand outside the plant for safety reasons, a senior police officer said.

Private security personnel were also asked to stay away from the plant.

The production in the plant resumed in the second and third shifts partially while the leopard remained hidden in the engine department, which is spread over 12-16 acres of land, a company officer said.

Police and forest officials are currently trying to locate the wild cat.

"Seven-eight teams of the wildlife department have cordoned off the area where leopard is hiding since 6 am. Efforts are on to trap the wild cat safely and rescue it," Wild Life Conservator Vinod Kumar told PTI.

The teams have placed two iron cages and tied goats in them to lure the leopard, he said.

"The leopard is hiding behind a machine which is used for assembling car engines. It is difficult to move the machine. We are also throwing crackers to force the wild cat out of its hiding," the conservator said.

When contacted Maruti, a representative said, "After ensuring safety of employees and facilities production was resumed from 2pm shift on Thursday. The impact is nominal."