Man arrested after snare causes death of leopardess in the Nilgiris

A 57-year-old man responsible for maintaining an agricultural field in the Nilgiris has been arrested after his snare intended to catch wild game resulted in the death of a leopardess on Sunday, August 23, 2026. The incident occurred in Ithalar, within the Udhagai South Forest Range of the Nilgiris forest division. Upon receiving information about the incident, the Forest Department, along with veterinarians, rushed to the location to attempt a rescue.

They administered a sedative to the leopardess before attempting to free it from the snare, but the animal succumbed shortly after being extricated, as it had been trapped around its abdomen.

Following the unfortunate event, a case was registered, and Shanmughanathan, the field caretaker, was detained and questioned. In his statement to authorities, he admitted to being the field's caretaker and explained that he had installed the snare made from clutch wire to prevent deer and wild boars from entering the carrot plantation. He claimed the leopard had become trapped unexpectedly. The accused was subsequently arrested, presented in court, and remanded to judicial custody.