Tribal man killed in suspected animal attack near Ooty

An Adivasi man was killed and his remains partially consumed in a suspected animal attack in Governor Shola near Udhagamandalam in the Nilgiris forest division on Wednesday (March 26, 2025).

An Adivasi man was killed and his remains partially consumed in a suspected animal attack in Governor Shola near Udhagamandalam in the Nilgiris forest division on Wednesday (March 26, 2025).

The remains of the man, identified as Kenthar Kuttan, a member of the Toda Adivasi community, was discovered in a forested area by local residents on Thursday (March 27, 2025). It is believed that Kuttan went there to collect firewood.

This is the second reported instance of a person being killed by a carnivore in the Nilgiris in the last two weeks. Earlier this month, a 50-year-old woman was killed in a suspected leopard attack near Arakadu village near Doddabetta Peak.

Though the species of animal responsible for the latest attack is yet to be ascertained, officials suspect that Kenthar Kuttan was killed by either a leopard or a tiger. S. Gowtham, Divisional Forest Officer (Nilgiris), said that hair samples have been collected from the scene of the incident for analysis.

The Forest Department has also deployed camera traps in the vicinity in an effort to capture images of the animal. “We are also analysing a database of potential carnivores that utilise the area in a further attempt to identify the animal responsible for the attack,” said Mr. Gowtham.

Teams have also been posted in the area to monitor animal movement and prevent any further negative interactions between humans and wildlife. Local residents demanded that the Forest Department capture the animal responsible. Assurances were given to them that action would be taken as per established protocols.

This is the seventh recorded instance of a human death caused by a carnivore in the Nilgiris (Mudumalai, Gudalur, and Nilgiris divisions) since 2020. Conservationists pointed out that the Governor Shola area attracts plenty of herbivores, due to the presence of the Theetukkal dumpyard nearby, which has become a scavenging ground for deer and wild boar in large numbers. This, in turn, attracts predators to the area, increasing chances of negative interactions with humans.