Panic gripped Valparai in the district when tea estate workers noticed an animal devouring a calf in the early hours of today, police said.
A few workers who were picking tea leaves in Kanchaalai estate heard a noise and noticed the animal eating a calf and immediately alerted the management, they said.
With more workers gathering at the place, the feline left the area leaving the carcass behind, police said.
They said that one of the workers, who was also rearing cows, was searching for his three-year old calf, which was missing since last night.
On information, forest department officials rushed to the spot and were ascertaining whether the carnivore was a tiger or leopard.
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