Sasan village in Gujarat’s Junagadh district, famous for Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, on Wednesday observed a half day strike to protest against forest department’s failure of saving a lion which died after falling down from a bridge.

Entire village remained closed for half-day even auto rickshaw and ferry service operators also extended their support by joining in the bandh which was called by local residents in protest against the forest department, sources said.

They also submitted a memorandum to the forest department and demanded that strict action be taken against the responsible forest officials whose alleged carelessness caused a lion’s death, they said.

An eight-year-lion died yesterday after falling off a 15 meter bridge constructed on a Hiran river.

The villagers in the memorandum also sought that lion show being organized by the forest department for tourist should be canceled to save life of lions.

However, deputy conservator of forest, Amit Kumar could not be contacted to highlight the cause of the lion’s death but sources from the forest department did not rule out possibility that the lion might have been hit by a moving vehicle.