2 months ago
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A 55-year-old Adivasi antheral was recovered dormant successful a suspected carnivore onslaught successful the Udhagai South Range successful the Nilgiris connected Tuesday (February 24, 2026) morning. Following the incident, section residents blocked the roadworthy adjacent Sholur Junction, demanding that the carnal beryllium captured.
The unfortunate was identified arsenic Pusthal Kuttan, 55, from Chinnakadimund successful the Nilgiris wood division. He had reportedly near his location connected Monday (February 23) evening and had taken a bridle way wrong a forested country to scope his father’s location astir fractional a kilometre away, erstwhile helium is believed to person been attacked and killed by a carnivore adjacent Eighth Mile.
Following the incidental and aft the find of his dismembered body, residents staged a protestation by blocking the roadworthy betwixt Udhagamandalam and Gudalur astatine the Sholur Junction, demanding the animal’s capture. Traffic was disrupted for a fewer hours connected Tuesday morning, arsenic Forest Department and constabulary officials held talks with the residents, assuring them that enactment would beryllium taken, pursuing which the protesters dispersed.
Speaking to The Hindu, S. Gowtham, Divisional Forest Officer (Nilgiris division), said that the incidental had occurred conscionable 2 aerial kilometres from wherever different Adivasi man, Kenthar Kuttan, 27, was killed by a tiger successful Governor Shola connected March 26, 2025. “We cognize that determination is simply a beingness of tigers and leopards successful the area,” said Mr. Gowtham, adding that hairsbreadth samples from the tract of the onslaught person been collected and sent for forensic investigating to place whether a tiger oregon a leopard was liable for the attack.
“The country is simply a spot of contiguous wood that connects close up to Parsons Valley, and determination are aggregate tigers and different ample carnivores utilizing the forest. So, we are utilizing camera trap information to besides pinpoint which carnal is responsible,” said Mr. Gowtham.
He said that afloat compensation would beryllium handed implicit to the adjacent of kin of the deceased by Tuesday evening. The Forest Department was besides continuing its probe into the circumstances that led to the attack.
