Second case of man-eating by Gir lions within a month, lioness mauls woman

Correspondent, Amreli

In the second case of ‘man-eating’ by the Asiatic lions of Gir forests in Amreli district of Gujarat, a lioness killed a 50-year old woman in Bharad village under Dhari taluka late last night while she was sleeping in an orchard in the vicinity of the forests with his family members.

Earlier on March 19, a 62-year-old man was also mauled to death by a lion in a similar manner when he was camping at Ambariya village of the district.

Dhari Assistant Conservator of Forest(ACF) M M Muni today said that a lioness dragged away Labhuben Solanki, a native of Khodi under Khamba taluka of the district, who was sleeping with her family members (all labourers) in a mango orchard. Her family members tried to save her but could not. Her mutilated body was later found from the ravine area around 400 meters away. The incident took place at around mid-night.

‘One of the three cubs of the lioness has been caged by the forest department with efforts to nab the killer beast were on,’ he said.

Earlier last month one Jinabhai Parmar, a cook of some labourers, was also dragged away by a lion in the wee hours of March 19 when he was sleeping at a camp on the outskirts of the Aambariya village.

Mr. Muni said that two lions were nabbed the next day and human bone and a part of cloth of Parmar was detected in the stool of one of them in the animal care center in Shashan.

Amreli district in Gujarat is home to over 170 Asiatic lions as per the census conducted by state government last year.

To a query regarding the recent incidents of attack by the lions on human beings, the ACF said that the forest department was keeping a watch on it. ‘May be people sleeping in open where water source is also available attracts hungry and thirsty beasts,’ he said adding that the matter was being studied.

– DeshGujarat