Carcasses of three leopards found in Shimla's Rampur, viscera sent for forensic examination

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 9 : Three carcasses of a female leopard and two cubs were found in mysterious circumstances in the Rampur Forest subdivision of Himachal Pradesh on Friday, officials said, adding that efforts are being made to know the reason of their deaths.
They said viscera of leopards has been sent for forensic examination and the real reason for the deaths will be known in the report.
The Forest Department conducted a post-mortem of the leopards and a team has been formed to look into the matter.
The three carcasses were found in Jaguni village of Dansa Panchayat under Rampur Forest Division of Shimla district.
Dr Anil Sharma, Doctor in charge of Veterinary Hospital, Rampur, said that all three leopards are females. The two cubs were about eight to nine months old and their mother was of two-and-a half-years old.
There was speculation that the leopards may have been poisoned after they may have killed a domestic animal but there is no information about any animal having been killed.
The dead leopards have been found in a healthy condition and there is little possibility that they died due to disease, locals said.
Officials said while the two were found dead the third one died some time later and the bodies were within a distance of 100 metres.