Three children of migrant workers killed in leopard, sloth bear attacks in Valparai this year

Five-year-old Saiful Alam from Assam, who was mauled to death by a leopard in a tea estate at Iyerpadi near Valparai on Saturday (December 6, 2025), was the third child to have been killed in the attack of leopard and sloth bear in Valparai this year. All the three victims were children of workers from other States.

A leopard dragged Aslam into tea bushes when he was playing in front of the workers’ quarters inside the estate with his two siblings at 7.15 p.m. His parents were inside the residence. He was found dead during a search.

On June 20, Roshini Kumari (5), daughter of a couple from Jharkhand was killed in the attack of a leopard at Pachamalai estate near Valparai. A leopard, believed to have killed the girl, was captured from the estate a few days later.

Another child, Noorul Islam (8), son of a couple from Assam, was mauled to death by a sloth bear on August 11. His parents were employed in a tea estate at Waterfall, Valparai.

All the three children were attacked when they were playing outside their quarters for estate workers in the evening hours.

In October 2024, Afsar Khatun (4), daughter of a couple from Jharkhand, was mauled to death by a leopard in a tea estate at Oosimalai near Valparai.

Field Director of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve D. Venkatesh said the Forest Range Officer of Valparai conducted an awareness programme for the workers at Iyerpadi estate two weeks ago.

Similar programmes were conducted in other estates in Valparai as well, to educate workers about movement of wild animals like leopard, sloth bear and elephant during evening and night. These programmes primarily targeted workers from other States, who lack knowledge about the terrain and its wild animals.

According to Mr. Venkatesh, some workers remain unmindful of such warnings and allow their children to play outside their quarters after dark.

Valparai Forest Range Officer Suresh Krishna said department staff conducted an awareness session exactly in front of the very workers’ quarters, where the leopard attack was reported on Saturday. 

Aslam’s body was handed over to the family after post-mortem examination at the Government Hospital, Valparai, on Sunday (December 7, 2025), following which the last rites were held at Valparai.

Forest Department staff on Sunday placed camera traps at the tea estate near the workers’ quarters to track the movement of the leopard.