A wave of terror has gripped the residential areas of Walayar after a leopard dragged away and partially devoured a bull. The shocking incident took place at Kurudikkad Narakampulli Chempotta, a neighbourhood close to the land acquired for the proposed railway coach factory. The one-and-a-half-year-old bull, belonging to Anilkumar of Kolayakkod, had gone missing on Monday afternoon while grazing in the nearby brushwood.

After an extensive search by the locals yielded no results, the carcass of the bull was found on Tuesday night in the thickets of a private compound. Forest department officials who inspected the spot found that the animal had been dragged for over 50 metres before being consumed.

A forest department team led by Senior Section Forest Officer KK Maruth conducted a detailed inspection of the site. Although the terrain made it difficult to retrieve clear pugmarks, officials confirmed that the signature drag marks and the feeding pattern were characteristic of a leopard attack. In a worrying development, the forest officials noted that the leopard had returned to the carcass on Wednesday night to feed further. To safeguard the residents, the department has announced plans to deploy camera traps and a trap cage in the area immediately.

The incident has intensified fear in the region, which has seen a series of predator attacks recently. Just last month, a leopard killed two goats in Walayar Attupathi. Three months ago, another leopard breached a residential property in Kanjikode Payattukad, killing domestic cattle and pet dogs tied inside their sheds. Compounding the community's anxiety, Pudussery panchayat, ranging from Venoli to Walayar Naduppathi, is already battling a severe wild elephant menace. Crop raiding by herds and single tuskers has devastated acres of farmland, leaving the local farmers distressed and vulnerable.