Lion Snatches Boy, 11, From Hill In Gujarat, Mauls Him To Death In Forest

An 11-year-old boy was allegedly dragged away and killed by a lion while climbing Gujarat's Girnar Hill with his family early Sunday morning, prompting authorities to suspend the pilgrimage and launch a massive search operation.

The incident took place around 5:45 am near the 50th step of the pilgrimage route. The family, from Modaj village in Kheda district, was climbing the hill when the lion suddenly attacked in the presence of hundreds of devotees.

The lion reportedly dragged the child into the nearby forest. Parts of the body were later found about 100 metres from the spot. The body parts have been sent for forensic examination.

The Forest Department immediately stopped devotees from using the Girnar steps and launched a search operation with trackers, forest guards and veterinary teams.

Within about four hours, officials captured the lion believed to be responsible for the attack. Two other lions spotted in the area were also captured as a precautionary measure and shifted to Sakkarbaug Zoo for examination.

According to Forest Department officials, the lion suspected of carrying out the attack vomited during examination, and body parts were found in the vomit, strengthening the suspicion that it was involved in the incident. The two other lions are also being examined.

Officials said paw prints, drag marks and other evidence have been collected from the scene as part of the investigation.

Girnar Hill, located near Junagadh in Gujarat, is one of western India's most revered pilgrimage sites. Home to ancient Jain and Hindu temples, including the famous Ambaji Temple and Dattatreya Temple, the hill attracts thousands of devotees every day who climb nearly 10,000 steps to reach the shrines.

(With Inputs From Vijay Singh Parmar)