A three-year-old leopard was found dead, entangled in a steel wire noose at a coffee estate in Athichal village in Nilgiris district, today.

The villagers heard the roars of the leopard late last night, but did not dare to go out in the darkness and find out. Early in the morning, they found the leopard dead in the noose, which was kept to trap animals like wild boars that destroy the crop.

The carcass of the male leopard will be buried after a post mortem, Dr. Prabhu, the forest veterinarian, said. Police have said that action will be taken against the estate owner after conducting a detailed inquiry.