Five-year-old boy mauled to death by leopard in Valparai tea estate

A leopard reportedly mauled to death a five-year-old boy from near his house at Iyerpadi tea estate in Valparai on Saturday night.

The boy was playing with his brother and sister when he was dragged by a leopard, according to the parents who were in the house at the time

The estate officer, who was informed about the incident, alerted the Forest Department and a team searched and located Saiful Alam’s body in the bushes. The boy’s body was shifted to the Valparai Government Hospital where the post-mortem will be conducted on Sunday morning, official sources said.

Compensation will be provided to the family on Sunday, sources added.

Officials said the department has been conducting awareness programmes for the estate workers and the managements to prevent presence of children after dark. The workers were still oblivious to the dangers, according to the department.