Schools, anganwadi centres closed in Pauri’s Dwarikhal over leopard sightings

Dehradun: At least nine schools have been closed in Pauri Garhwal district's Dwarikhal block on the directions of the district administration after a 7-year-old boy had an encounter with a leopard in Khali Tok on Saturday morning.
Villagers reported seeing the big cat near the govt primary school.
Schools were shut on Monday and will remain closed on Tuesday, even though forest officials have not yet spotted the leopard.They plan to set up camera traps for monitoring.
"So far, our teams haven't sighted the leopard, but to ensure public safety, we have increased patrols. The survey team is still preparing its report, and we will determine the next steps regarding the leopard afterward," said NC Pant, divisional forest officer (DFO) of Lansdowne.
Pauri, with its dense forests and increased migration leading to abandoned houses, has recently seen a rise in human-wildlife encounters, prompting school closures. Forest officials are organising awareness camps to promote coexistence with wildlife.