Lion kills restaurant worker in Gujarat’s Amreli

A 25-year-old restaurant worker from Uttarakhand was killed and partially eaten by a lion near Kovaya village in Amreli. Forest officials suspect a pride of four lions and have launched efforts to capture them, raising concerns over human-wildlife conflict

Amreli: A lion mauled to death a 25-year-old man who worked at a restaurant in Gujarat’s Amreli district and ate several body parts of the victim, officials said on Tuesday.

Locals found a few body parts of the victim and his severed head close to an approach road near Kovaya village of Amreli district under Rajula forest range early Tuesday morning.

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Assistant Conservator of Forests Viralsinh Chavda said a pride of four lions was moving in the area and efforts were underway to cage them all based on suspicion that one of them killed the man, who hailed from Uttarakhand.

“After receiving the message at 6 am today, the local beat guards and forest officials reached the spot. Prima facie, it was found that the man was killed by a lion, with a pride of four lions seen in the nearby areas. We are working to rescue them all,” Chavda said.

According to locals, the victim left the hotel after work late at night and was on his way back home when a lion mauled him in a nearby bush.

When they found his remains in the morning, they informed the police and forest department officials, who later reached the spot.

Kovaya village sarpanch Jeena Lakhnotra said a similar incident had occurred in the nearby Bhakodar village.

Rajula MLA Hira Solanki said he has written to the state forest department requesting an increase in the number of forest staff to prevent such incidents.

“The way humans are falling prey to lions is a matter of great sorrow for us. I would like to request the government that, as the number of lions has increased, the number of forest staff should also be increased so that such incidents can be stopped,” he said.