Amreli: A six-month-old lion cub was injured on Friday night after colliding with a train on the broad-gauge railway line between Vadiya and Vavdi, near Vadia, the taluka headquarters of Amreli district. The incident occurred around 9:22 pm on the Veraval–Bandra route.

According to officials, a lioness and several cubs were crossing the track when the train approached. The driver noticed the animals on the track and applied brakes, preventing further casualties. While the lioness and the other cubs escaped unharmed, one cub sustained injuries.

The train was halted, and the forest department was immediately alerted. Staff and officers reached the spot promptly and rescued the injured cub. It was first taken to the Animal Care Centre, but considering the seriousness of its injuries, the Conservator of Forests (Junagadh) arranged for emergency treatment at Sakkarbagh Zoo in Junagadh.

A special team, including the zoo director and veterinarians, was deployed to provide urgent medical care to save the cub. Meanwhile, forest teams have begun a search operation to track the lioness and the remaining cubs to ensure their safety.