Chennai, Dec 8 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu forest department has warned people not to spread rumours of wild animal attack after it found out that a woman had given false information that she was attacked by a leopard.

The Gudalur division forest department officials found that the claim made by the woman, A R. Suseela of Puthiravayal, Gudalur, that she was attacked by a leopard was false.

The woman had alleged that while she was returning home from the office on a two-wheeler on November 30, she was attacked by a leopard at Marthomanagar road.

Forest range officer N. Rajendran who conducted the investigation told media persons that the woman did not have a two-wheeler driving license and she had met with an accident after ramming her scooter into the rear of another vehicle.

The forest official also said that there were no pug marks or hair of the leopard in the place where the woman had claimed that she was attacked by the big cat.

The forest officer said that the department monitored the area for six days and had found that there was no leopard in the area.

N. Rajendran said that the forest department has warned people not to spread rumours or else they would face action under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.