The Delhi Police has put an end to speculation surrounding a viral video depicting a “mysterious” animal allegedly spotted at the Rashtrapati Bhavan during the recent oath-taking ceremony. After examining the footage, the police clarified that the animal in question is, in fact, a common house cat, refuting claims of it being a wild creature.
In a statement posted on X, the Delhi Police addressed the misinformation circulating on social media, urging the public not to give credence to baseless rumors. Despite initial conjectures suggesting the presence of a leopard, the police confirmed that only dogs and domestic cats reside within the highly secure Rashtrapati Bhavan complex.
Some media channels and social media handles are showing an animal image captured during the live telecast of oath taking ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan yesterday, claiming it to be a wild animal.
— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) June 10, 2024
Quoting officials from both the Delhi Police and the Forest Department, reports dismissed any sightings of leopards within the presidential estate prior to or during the ceremony.
Sidhant Sibal, a diplomatic and defense correspondent at WION News, reported on X that the animal captured on camera is a common house cat. Delhi Police issued a statement regarding the viral video of an animal seen during the oath-taking ceremony on Sunday, providing clarification.
Animal captured on camera is a common house cat🐈, Delhi police issues statement on video of an animal seen during oath taking ceremony on Sunday https://t.co/aOerOP8Dko
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) June 10, 2024
During the oath-taking ceremony, President Murmu administered the oath of office and secrecy to a 72-member Council of Ministers, comprising 30 cabinet ministers, 36 Ministers of State (MoS), and five MoS with independent charge. Notable figures such as Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, and S Jaishankar retained their positions as Cabinet ministers. Additionally, the new Council of Ministers welcomed 11 ministers from NDA alliance partners.
PM Modi, leading a coalition government in his third term, marks a significant milestone in his political journey since assuming office in 2014. The oath ceremony signifies a continuation of his leadership, following a resounding victory attributed to the “Brand Modi” phenomenon, succeeding a decade-long tenure of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule.
