A buffalo was killed and another injured in a suspected tiger attack at Cheeral near here on Wednesday morning. The carcass of the buffalo was found on the premises of cattle farmer U V Babu’s house at Thachamkuni near Cheeral.

Babu came to know about the incident only in the morning when he found one buffalo dead and another injured after being attacked by a wild animal.

Following the incident, local residents gathered at the spot and urged the forest department officials who arrived to examine the carcass and determine whether the attack was carried out by a tiger or a leopard, to locate the animal fast and capture it. According to Afsal Cheeral, ward member of East Cheeral, one of the buffaloes managed to escape with injuries after running back into the stable, while another buffalo that remained outside was killed.

Farmers in the area usually tie their cattle outside the stable as the locality is nearly one kilometre away from the forest and there had been no recent incidents of cattle attacks by wild animals, he said.

The incident has triggered fear among residents, with many farmers reportedly avoiding taking cattle out for grazing. According to Afsal, the buffalo that was killed was worth around ₹80,000, while the condition of the injured animal remains uncertain. Meanwhile, Forest officials examined the spot and inspected the pug marks found in the area. Based on the preliminary assessment, officials suspect the animal to be a tiger, possibly unable to hunt in the wild due to injury or age-related issues.

South Wayanad Divisional Forest Officer Ajit K Raman told Onmanorama that officials had confirmed the animal involved was a tiger, though its identity is yet to be established. “Once the tiger is identified, it will be easier to streamline the action to be taken,” he said.

He added that camera traps would be installed at the site on Wednesday. The farmer has also been instructed not to remove the carcass, as the tiger may return to feed on it, he said.