Villagers attack leopard to death in Kerala’s Idukki district

A preliminary investigation by the Forest Department suggested that the animal had been killed in self-defence.

A leopard, which had been on the prowl at a forest-side village in Idukki and feasted on the livestock of villagers, was killed by the local residents in Idukki on September 3.

The incident took place at the Mankulam village in the wee hours of Saturday when the beast attacked Gopalan, a resident of the Chikkanamkudy tribal colony near here. The animal crossed Gopalan's path when the person was on his way to visit his brother.

Even as the man mounted a counter attack using a machete, an angry group of villagers who rushed the spot, rained stones and sticks at the animal. A preliminary investigation by the Forest Department suggested that the animal had been killed in self-defence. The carcass of the animal has been sent for a post-mortem examination and a detailed probe is on.

Praveen Joseph, a block panchayat committee member, said the animal had stayed into the village several days ago and since had been devouring on the cattle reared by the villagers. Based on a complaint, the Forest Department had placed a cage along with camera traps in the village .

“We strongly suspect that this animal had been trapped by the Forest Department on an earlier occasion before being released into the forest’‘, he said.