Fear has gripped the Sindrawani area of Rudraprayag after a leopard attacked a five-year-old child and dragged him away from his mother. Following the incident, the district administration announced a two-day closure of eight schools on February 4 and 5 to ensure the safety of children.
The schools ordered to remain closed include Government Primary Schools at Chamsil, Sari, Sindrawani, Jhalimath, Chhinka, Hiloridhar, Government Upper Primary School Chhinka, and Janata High School Kakodakhal. Along with schools, all anganwadi centres operating near these institutions will also remain closed for the same period.
The incident occurred on Tuesday in Sindrawani village under the Sari Nyay Panchayat of Rudraprayag district. According to local residents, the leopard suddenly attacked and pulled the child away from his mother, leaving the entire village in shock and fear. Since then, panic has spread across the area, and parents have raised serious concerns about the safety of children.
A search operation is currently underway to trace the missing child. Villagers, along with forest department teams, are actively involved in the search, while the administration has been alerted for additional support.
District Panchayat member Jaywardhan Kandpal said that incidents of human-wildlife conflict are increasing continuously in the region. He stated that repeated leopard attacks have created fear among villagers and demanded immediate and concrete action from the authorities to prevent such incidents in the future. He also urged the administration to strengthen forest patrols and provide better protection to rural settlements.
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The administration has assured that necessary steps are being taken and that the situation is being closely monitored. However, residents say long-term measures are needed as fear continues to dominate daily life in the affected villages.
