Palakkad: A leopard, which was trapped in a barbed wire fence at Vazhapuzha, Kollangode, died shortly after it was tranquilised by forest officials on Wednesday. It is suspected that the animal was killed due to internal bleeding.

Forest department officials had captured the trapped animal after tranquilising it. Some officials claimed that the tranquiliser shot did not completely hit the animal.

Part of the leopard's hip was ensnared in the wire fence. The continuous efforts by the beast to escape the barbed wire fence could have led to the bleeding, officials said.

Preliminary observations suggested the leopard was approximately five years old. A rapid response team along with a forest department veterinarian had arrived at the spot on Wednesday morning.