Udaipur |A leopard on the loose has struck fear across 20 villages near Udaipur with people confining themselves to houses and schools shutting down.

The leopard has killed seven people within a fortnight across villages in the district's Godunda and Badgaon subdivisions.

An over 100-member team from the forest department, police, and the army has surrounded a 20-km area spanning two villages — Kelvon Ka Kheda and Rathod Ka Guda -– near Udaipur City, where the last two attacks happened, Deputy Superintendent of Police Gajendra Singh said.

District Forest Officer Ajay Chittora said that the pattern across attacks indicates they were all made by the same leopard.

Gogunda Station House Officer Shaitan Singh Nathawat said villagers have confined themselves to their homes and when they do go out, they carry sticks.

The forest department had on Tuesday issued a permission to shoot down the animal.

Search teams have been firing crackers and playing drums to disturb the big cat and drive it out for a shot.

A trap has been set near a rainwater drain in Kelvon Ki Dhani where the leopard's pug marks were seen.

Locals say leopards never attacked humans before, but the pattern seems to have broken with repeated skirmishes.

"We are avoiding going to collect fodder for the cattle," villager Bhagwati Lal said.

The DFO said cages have been set up at all strategic locations, with teams of shooters from Udaipur, Rajsamand, Jodhpur, and Ranthambore actively searching for it.

"An expert shooter from Hyderabad is also there," he said.

Schools in Rathod Ka Guda have been closed in view of children's safety.

The officer said in case people do need to go out, such as in case of an emergency, they have been advised to go in groups, carrying sticks. An advisory has also been put out on social media.

"Be more cautious where dead animals are lying. If the school is far from village, children should walk in a group. Keep children fully clothed.

"If they are naked, the leopard may mistakenly identify them and attack them in confusion," the administration instructed.

It also advised villagers to beat their sticks on the ground while walking to make sound and not to venture into the bushes or deserted places.

"If there is a toilet outside the house, do not leave its door open," it said