Mussoorie, April 4 -- After a four-year-old girl was killed by a leopard in Pauri district on Thursday night, forest department has launched a surveillance operation and the district administration has ordered temporary closure of several schools in nearby areas as a precautionary measure. Officials said the victim, identifiwed as Drishti, daughter of Harendra Singh Rawat, was playing in the courtyard of her house when the leopard snatched her from near the kitchen around 9 pm. The attack occurred in Bhatkot village of Pokhra range in Chaubattakhal tehsil of the district, just a few feet away from where her 10-year-old sister and grandmother were sitting and having dinner, forest officials said. Family members and villagers rushed to the spot after hearing her screams and tried to chase the animal, but the leopard fled into the nearby forest with the child. Mahitam Yadav, divisional forest officer (DFO), Pauri Forest Division, said the girl's body was recovered about one kilometre away from the house near a local stream (gadhera) after an intensive search operation. "After a gruelling search, the girl's body was found nearly one kilometre from the village near a stream. Officials inspected the site and met the grieving family, assuring them of all possible administrative assistance as per government norms," said Yadav. Following the incident, the forest department has intensified monitoring and deployed surveillance equipment in the area.According to the DFO, 10 camera traps and two solar-powered CCTV cameras have been installed near the incident site to track the leopard's movement, while two cages have been placed in strategic locations to capture the animal. Officials have also collected samples from the site to identify the leopard responsible for the attack. Two specialised teams comprising 15 personnel each have been deployed for round-the-clock patrolling in the village and surrounding forest areas to prevent further attacks. Yadav said the forest division has also sought emergency permission from higher authorities to cage or tranquilise the leopard, and eliminate it as a last resort if it continues to pose a threat to human life.The forest department has urged villagers to remain vigilant, avoid venturing out alone during evening hours and keep close watch on children. The discovery of the body triggered anger among local residents, who alleged that increasing leopard movement in the region has not been adequately addressed. Officials from the forest department and district administration reached the village on Friday and pacified the residents after assuring the family of assistance. In view of heightened fear following the attack and reports of leopard movement in Kolakhal area, the district administration ordered the closure of several schools in Pokhra and Bironkhal development blocks. Manoj Kumar Joshi, block education officer, Pokhra-Bironkhal, said the orders were issued under the direction of Pauri district magistrate Swati S Bhadauria. Schools will remain closed on April 4 and April 6 in selected areas. In Pokhra block, government primary schools in Patlyun, Mayalgaon and Patoti, along with Janta Inter College in Kunjkhal, will remain shut for classes 1 to 12. In Bironkhal block, government primary schools in Timli, Kanduli Bari, Dhiswani and Bharpur Bari, and government upper primary schools in Timli and Kanduli Bari will remain closed for classes 1 to 8....