Lion attacks cattle breeder, forest dept staffer in Vanthali, Junagadh

Rajkot: A lion attacked a cattle breeder in Naredi village, Vanthali taluka, Junagadh district, on Friday. Later, the same lion targeted a team of forest department who had arrived to investigate the incident, injuring a labourer.

Ramesh Mundhwa, a 40-year-old shopkeeper and cattle breeder, ventured into a dense area with acacia trees while grazing his sheep and goats. During this time, the lion attacked him. Upon being informed, the forest department reached the spot, but the lion also attacked a staff member who attempted a rescue.

As news of the attack spread, people working in nearby fields gathered at the scene. The injured breeder was first taken to Vanthali for immediate treatment and later transferred to Junagadh Civil Hospital for further care. Similarly, the forest department employee injured by the lion was also moved to Junagadh hospital for treatment.

Deputy Conservator of Forests (Gir West Division) Prashant Tomar stated, “Preliminary information suggests that the herder tried to protect his livestock, provoking the lion to attack.”

Two hours after the first attack, a forest team scanning the area encountered the lion, which injured a labourer in a second, more aggressive attack. “The lion may have been agitated due to the earlier incident. We believe it is a sub-adult but have yet to determine its sex,” added Tomar. Traps have been set to capture the animal. DeshGujarat