Leopard linked to man’s death, cattle kills caught in Erode district

The leopard would be examined by a veterinarian before being released into a dense forest area, as directed by senior officials

Updated - October 22, 2026 05:03 pm IST - ERODE

The leopard that was found trapped in a cage placed near Hasanur in Erode district on October 21, 2026 | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

A leopard suspected to be responsible for the death of a man and the killing of several cattle in Hasanur of Erode district and surrounding areas was caught in a cage by the Forest Department in Ongalwadi, near Hasanur, on Thursday (October 22, 2026) morning.

Confirming the development, Yogesh Kumar Garg, Deputy Director of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) and District Forest Officer of the Hasanur Forest Division, told The Hindu that camera-trap images had helped the department identify the leopard as the one involved in the incidents. Automatic camera traps had been installed at 10 locations, while 50 personnel were deployed for patrolling to track the animal’s movements. The camera-trap footage was used to identify the leopard and monitor the areas it frequented, he said.

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The leopard would be examined by a veterinarian before being released into a dense forest area, as directed by senior officials. Further details, including its sex and age, would be known only after the examination, he added.

V. Periyasamy of Bungalow Thotti was found dead along a stream near the forest fringes under the Hasanur Range of the Hasanur Forest Division on October 4. Several cattle kills were also reported in Ongalwadi, Hasanur, Old Hasanur and Bungalow Thotti over the past year.

Published - October 22, 2026 11:45 am IST

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