CHENNAI: Killer Nilgiri leopard brought to Chennai

CHENNAI: The leopard that attacked five people and killed two others, including a child, near Gudalur in Nilgiris district was taken to the rescue and rehabilitation center at Parque Zoological Arignar Anna in Vandalur on Monday. According to an official, the animal reached the establishment around noon and was found isolated. The department will take the decision to keep the leopard in the zoo after treatment or release it in the forest. The leopard had attacked three tribal women in the tribal village of Perungarai in the Cordillera of Bitharkad in the Gudalur division of the Nilgiris on December 21. One of these women died on 29 December. On January 5, a leopard attacked a 3-year-old girl in Kolappally village in Cordillera, Pandalur, following which locals protested and blocked roads. After traps and jails failed to catch the big cat, the forest team used drones to identify the leopard’s location. The team tranquilized the leopard and started capturing Domingo. Meanwhile, on Sunday, Prime Minister MK Stalin announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs. Rs 10 lakh each will be given to the families of two people, including a child, killed in the leopard attack.