Preliminary investigation by the forest department revealed that the animal was killed in self-defence.
Preliminary investigation by the forest department revealed that the animal was killed in self-defence.
A leopard, which was hunting and feasting on villagers’ livestock in a forested village in Idukki, was killed by local residents in Idukki on September 3.
The incident took place in Mankulam village in the early hours of Saturday when the animal attacked Gopalan, a resident of Chikkanamkudi tribal colony near here. When the man was going to meet his brother, the animal crossed the path of cattle.
Even as the man retaliated using a dagger, an angry group of villagers who reached the spot rained stones and sticks on the animal. Preliminary investigation by the forest department revealed that the animal was killed in self-defence. The body of the animal has been sent for post-mortem and detailed investigation is on.
Praveen Joseph, a member of the block panchayat samiti, said the animal lived in the village several days back and had been eating cattle reared by the villagers since then. Based on the complaint, the Forest Department had put up a cage with a camera trap in the village.
“We fully suspect that this animal was trapped by the forest department before it was released in the forest earlier also,” he said.