The forest department has confirmed that internal bleeding leading to hypovolemic shock caused the death of a leopard found at Palathumkadav in Ayyankunnu, dismissing media speculation about the incident as baseless and contrary to facts.
Forest officials said the post-mortem was conducted strictly in accordance with the standard operating procedures of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the exact cause of death has been scientifically determined.
All procedures were fully videotaped as mandated by NTCA guidelines, he said. Before the autopsy, the body was thoroughly examined using a metal detector to rule out the presence of any foreign metal objects, the official added.
Officials said the leopard was spotted around 5:30 pm on February 25 in Ward 2 of Ayyankunnu in Iritty section of Barapole project area where solar panels were being installed. When the forest officials reached the spot for inspection, the animal allegedly attacked the staff.
Forest officer K. Rahul sustained injuries in the attack and was immediately rushed to hospital. The leopard was later found dead.
Published – 26 Feb 2026 21:37 IST
