Civil engineer held for running over lioness on Bhavnagar-Somnath highway

Amreli: Forest officials have arrested a civil engineer from the Gandhinagar Police Housing Corporation in connection with the death of a lioness that was run over on the Bhavnagar–Somnath National Highway near the Nageshri toll plaza in Jafrabad taluka.

The forest department said the lioness, estimated to be three to five years old, died on the spot after being hit by a vehicle two days ago. Forest staff rushed to the site, and CCTV footage from the toll plaza was later analysed, leading to the arrest of Virendra Rathod, who is posted in Gandhinagar.

The incident is part of a worrying series of wildlife deaths along the same highway stretch in Amreli district over the past 26 days. On January 4, another lioness was killed near Hemal village, while on January 25, a leopard died in a similar collision near Bala Ni Vav village in Jafrabad taluka.

Assistant Conservator of Forests Viralsinh Chavda said motorists have been urged to slow down and drive cautiously through wildlife-sensitive zones.

Meanwhile, a tragedy was narrowly averted in Gir forest when a lioness and her three cubs were spotted crossing a metre-gauge railway track. Forest trackers and railway authorities acted swiftly, moving the animals to safety before a train arrived, while the train pilot halted in time. DeshGujarat