Leopard Found Dead in Sundargarh Reserve Forest; Poisoning Suspected

Sundargarh: A male leopard was found dead inside Kusumadihi Reserve Forest under the Tamra Range of the Bonai Forest Division, sparking concerns over possible poisoning.

According to forest officials, preliminary suspicion indicates that the big cat may have died after consuming a poisoned carcass. The leopard had reportedly killed a bullock on Tuesday, following which some locals are believed to have laced the animal’s carcass with poison to eliminate the predator.

For the past few days, the leopard had been creating panic in nearby villages, leading residents to lodge multiple complaints with the forest department. However, officials had only deployed trap cameras to monitor its movement and did not take active steps to drive the animal away from human habitation.

A team of investigators, including the Rourkela RCCF, visited the spot on Wednesday to examine the circumstances surrounding the death.

Bonai DFO Lalit Patra said that the exact cause will be confirmed after a detailed investigation and further inquiry into the incident.