Nanjangud: Close on the heels of a leopardess and two cubs dying in a suspicious manner at Belavadi in Mysuru on May 22, carcasses of an adult leopardess and a cub has been found in the agricultural field at Kadabur village in the taluk yesterday.

The carcasses were found in the field belonging to one Ramanayak and the carcasses of the leopardess aged about three years and the cub were found at a distance of 300 to 400 mts from each other and it looks that it is not a natural death, said Nanjangud Social Forestry Division’s Range Forest Officer (RFO) Rakshith.

Post-mortem was conducted this morning by veterinarian Dr. Mujeeb and the carcasses were cremated.

Deputy Conservators of Forests (DCFs) Dr. K.C. Prashanth Kumar and Prasanna Kumar, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Rangaswamy, Probationary ACF Anusha, Wildlife Warden and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) representative Krithika Alanahally were present.

Belavadi incident: The Forest Department personnel have interrogated four suspects in connection with the suspected poisoning of a leopardess and two cubs but have not got any clues. The Department officials are investigating in all angles to trace and arrest the culprits.

The samples of the dead leopards were sent to the Forensic Science Lab (FSL) and Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals in Bengaluru and the reports are expected tomorrow.