A young boy was dragged off and killed by a lion while participating in a famous pilgrimage in Gujarat, India, according to reports. The victim, identified as Mayur Chauhan, aged 11 or 12, was with his family when the animal pounced near the steps of Girnar Hill, a holy mountain sacred to Hindus and Jains.
Attack Details and Immediate Response
The lion reportedly snatched the youngster at around 5:45 a.m. local time on Saturday, July 11, near the 50th step of the pilgrimage route, in front of hundreds of people. It then carried him into the nearby forest. Authorities immediately launched urgent search efforts and suspended the pilgrimage, NDTV reports. Parts of the body were discovered approximately 100 meters from the attack site and were examined by forensics experts.
Capture and Examination of Lions
Officials managed to track down the lion believed to be behind the shocking incident and also captured two others as a precaution. The suspected lion vomited while being examined, with body parts spotted in the bodily waste, Forest Department officials said. Investigators will also consider other evidence, including paw prints and drag marks at the scene. All three lions have been taken to the nearby Sakkarbaug Zoo for examination.
Witness Account of Teasing
Raj Vagdoda, a pilgrim from Palanpur, was climbing the mountain with his brother earlier that day and claimed the animal may have been teased by people and shouted at ahead of the deadly attack. Mr. Vagdoda told reporters that they climbed at around 3:45 a.m. and at about the 50th or 55th step they heard shouts from people further down. "We went back around 10 steps and saw some people flashing torches at the lion, teasing it and shouting," he alleged. "The lion appeared to get agitated. This could have led the lion to attack the child later," Mr. Vagdoda added, as per the Hindustan Times.
Government Measures to Prevent Future Incidents
On Monday, Gujarat's Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia announced various measures to protect climbers at the holy site, including recruiting 25 forest trackers, establishing permanent checkposts where lion movement is common, and implementing thermal drone surveillance. A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is also being developed following previous lion attacks.
