Una: A four-year-old girl was killed in a lion attack on the outskirts of Damasa village in Una taluka on Monday evening, triggering anger among residents over alleged lapses in forest department vigilance. The animal was later captured within hours following a night-long operation by forest officials.

The victim, Hemanshi, daughter of Jivabhai Pamak, was sitting on the porch of her house in the Wadi area with her mother, Savitaben, around 7 pm when the incident occurred. According to family members, Savitaben was attending to her younger son and preparing food when a lion suddenly entered the premises, grabbed the child by the jaws, and fled towards nearby fields.

Villagers raised an alarm and chased the animal, which reportedly abandoned the girl’s body about 500 metres away before escaping into a millet field. Hemanshi died on the spot.

Locals alleged that despite frequent lion movement in the area, there has been inadequate patrolling and preventive action by the forest department. Tensions escalated as officials reportedly reached the spot nearly an hour after being informed.

Amid mounting outrage, the forest department launched a late-night search operation under the supervision of Deputy Conservator of Forests Vikas Yadav and Assistant Conservator Kapil Bhatia. Multiple teams, led by Jasadhar Range Forest Officer K.C. Chauhan and forester Jitendra Bambhaniya, combed the area with assistance from a veterinary expert.

The lion was successfully tranquilised and caged within four hours and later shifted to the Jasadhar Animal Care Centre.

While officials said prompt action helped contain the situation, the incident has intensified concerns over rising human-wildlife conflict in the region. DeshGujarat