Dehradun: Schools in the Bhilangana block of Uttarakhand's Tehri district will remain closed indefinitely due to escalating fears of leopard attacks. Initially shut for three days, the closure has been extended after a series of fatal leopard attacks claimed the lives of four students in the past four months, the latest being a 13-year-old girl earlier this week.
Primary schools in villages including Bhodgaon, Puwalgaon, Mahargaon, and Anthwalgaon will stay closed, with exams postponed, confirmed district officials. Tehri’s Chief Education Officer, S.P. Semwal, noted that since the leopard remains at large, the schools will not reopen until the threat is contained. The government high school, however, has resumed classes with enhanced security measures, including forest department personnel to ensure student safety. Semwal assured that any missed academic time would be made up with additional classes once the situation stabilizes.
Efforts to locate and capture the leopard are underway, with forest officials deploying shooters, drones, and ground teams to track the animal. Divisional Forest Officer Puneet Tomar stated, “Our teams have been monitoring the leopard’s movement around the clock for the past three days, though progress has been slow due to dense vegetation and challenging terrain.” Awareness teams have also been deployed to inform locals and urge them to remain vigilant.
This is not the first instance of leopard threats causing school closures in the region. In September, nine schools in Pauri district's Dwarikhal block were closed, with similar suspensions in April and July this year. In Uttarkashi, residents requested that classes be moved closer to village centers to reduce the risk of attacks, while Dehradun’s Forest Research Institute campus closed for five days following multiple leopard sightings.
The district’s proactive measures underscore the need for heightened wildlife management and safety protocols as leopard encounters continue to impact daily life across Uttarakhand.
