What was meant to be a spiritual journey to the Ambaji Temple on Girnar Hill in Gujarat’s Junagadh district ended in a heartbreaking tragedy on Saturday. A 12-year-old boy was attacked and dragged away by a lion just around 50 steps into the climb, leaving pilgrims in shock and forcing authorities to close the main trekking route to the temple.
Forest officials said this is the first recorded case of a lion attacking a pilgrim on the steps leading to the Ambaji Temple at Girnar. Boy Attacked Within Minutes of Starting the Climb
The victim, Mayur Chauhan, had travelled with his family from Modaj village in Kheda district to visit the famous temple.
According to eyewitnesses and family members, the family had climbed only about 50 steps from the main entrance when a lion suddenly emerged from the darkness and attacked Mayur from behind. His uncle, Anilkumarsinh, said the lion grabbed the boy by his arm and ran into the nearby forest before anyone could react.
The family and other pilgrims desperately tried to save the child, but they could not stop the animal. Later, search teams recovered Mayur’s shoes, clothes, and partial human remains from the forest.
Forest Department Launches Rescue Operation
As soon as the incident was reported, officials from the forest department rushed to the spot along with trackers, veterinary doctors, and rescue staff.
Deputy Conservator of Forests (Junagadh), Akshay Joshi, said an immediate search operation was launched to locate and capture the lion responsible for the attack.
During the operation, one lion was captured. While examining the animal, the veterinarian noticed that it vomited, and parts of a human body were found, indicating that it was likely the same lion involved in the attack.
Main Girnar Trek Closed Until Further Notice
Following the incident, the forest department closed the new Girnar staircase route as a precaution to prevent any further attacks.
Officials said the route will remain closed until further notice while the investigation continues. Police and forest teams also secured the area and stopped movement on the main staircase.
Pilgrims were redirected to the older staircase near Jatashankar, while search teams searched the surrounding forest and cages were placed to capture the lion involved in the attack.
A forest official said the main trekking route was closed because there was a possibility that the lion could still be nearby, posing a risk to other devotees.
Eyewitness: “It Was Dark, No One Saw the Lion”
One eyewitness said that around 50 to 60 pilgrims had started climbing Girnar at around 5:45 am after spending the night there. According to him, the group had barely crossed 50 steps when the lion suddenly appeared and carried the child away.
He said the lion may have been hiding near the path, waiting unnoticed because it was still dark. “There was very little light, and no one saw the lion before the attack,” the eyewitness said.
Locals Had Reportedly Seen Lion Near the Steps Earlier
Some local residents claimed they had seen a lion near the main staircase for the past three days before the incident. However, forest officials said all necessary safety measures had already been put in place.
Officials also pointed out that although wildlife attacks have occurred in the Girnar area before, this is the first time a lion has attacked a pilgrim on the temple staircase.
They recalled an earlier incident in which a leopard had dragged away an 11-year-old girl during the annual pilgrimage, but that attack happened on the outskirts of the mountain and not on the temple steps.
State Government Orders Review
Gujarat Forests and Environment, Climate Change, and Science and Technology Minister Arjun Modhwadia described the incident as extremely unfortunate. He said lions generally do not attack humans without a reason, and the government will investigate what caused the animal to behave this way.
According to the minister, the family was climbing along with other devotees, and forest officials were also present in the area. He said the increasing number of human-lion conflict cases in Gujarat has become a matter of concern.
A review meeting has been scheduled for Monday to examine the existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and identify changes needed to reduce such incidents.
The minister also said this is the second case since June 24 in which a child has been dragged away by a lion, and authorities are still unable to determine why these attacks are happening.
He noted that in some recent lion attacks there had been provocation or teasing of the animals, but that does not appear to explain this incident. For now, the Girnar pathway has been closed as a safety measure until further decisions are taken.
Series of Recent Lion Attacks in Gujarat
The Girnar tragedy comes after several recent lion attacks reported across Gujarat.
July 8: A 21-year-old man was dragged away and killed by a lion and a lioness near Antaliya village in Amreli district.
July 6: A lion attacked a cattle herder in Garajia village of Palitana and pinned him to the ground.
June 24: A child walking with his grandfather was dragged away by a lioness. His body was later recovered from the forest.
June 17: A man went missing in the Pipleshwar area of Bhavnagar. Eight days later, parts of his body were found, and officials suspect he had been killed by a lion.
June 16: A 25-year-old man in Kovaya village of Amreli was attacked by a lion while walking to his farm. Part of his body was later recovered.
Investigation Underway
The forest department has started a detailed investigation into the Girnar attack while continuing to review safety measures for pilgrims visiting the temple.
Authorities will also examine the reasons behind the recent rise in lion attacks across Gujarat and decide whether changes are needed in wildlife management and pilgrim safety arrangements.
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