A 21-year-old man was killed in a lion attack in Gujarat’s Amreli district after he entered a forest area with a group involved in illegal lion watching. The incident, which took place on the evening of July 8 near the boundary of the Antalya Revenue area and the Luwaria Reserve Forest in Liliya taluka, has triggered a major investigation by the Forest Department.
Officials believe the group ventured into the lions’ natural habitat to watch the animals up close, an activity that is banned under the Wildlife Protection Act. Investigators are now examining whether the group’s actions disturbed the lions and led to the deadly attack.
Lion Turned Aggressive During Mating Period
The victim has been identified as Sohil Memon, 21. The attack took place between 7.30 pm and 8 pm. Soon after the incident, senior forest officials, including Shetrunji Division Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Chirag Amin, reached the Liliya Range Office and began rescue operations, an investigation and legal proceedings.
According to DCF Chirag Amin, preliminary findings indicate that a lion and a lioness were together during their mating period when the group entered the area for illegal lion watching.
Officials suspect the animals were disturbed or provoked, causing the male lion to become aggressive and attack Sohil.
Body Dragged Deep Into Forest
Forest officials said the lion dragged Sohil’s body deep inside the forest after the attack and stayed near it in an aggressive state.
Because of the lion’s behaviour, forest personnel had to carry out a carefully coordinated operation before they could recover the body. The body was later sent for postmortem examination.
Two Youths Detained, More People Being Identified
As part of the investigation, the Forest Department has detained two youths who were allegedly with the lion-watching group. They are being questioned while officials work to identify others who may have been present during the incident. Investigators are also examining digital evidence to reconstruct what happened before the attack.
Deleted Photos and Videos Sent for Forensic Recovery
According to local sources, officials found that photographs and videos allegedly recorded during the illegal lion-watching had been deleted from the detained youths’ mobile phones. Parts of the phone data had also been formatted.
The mobile phones will now be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), where experts will attempt to recover the deleted files. Investigators hope the recovered data will help establish the exact sequence of events leading to the fatal attack.
What Is Illegal Lion Watching?
Explaining the law, DCF Chirag Amin said that simply seeing a lion naturally in a village or on farmland is not considered illegal.
However, entering a lion’s habitat to track, disturb or provoke the animal is a serious offence. He said harassing wild animals is a criminal offence under the Wildlife Protection Act and warned that strict legal action will be taken against anyone found involved.
Growing Human-Lion Conflict Raises Concern
The incident has once again highlighted the increasing human-wildlife conflict around the Gir landscape. According to local accounts, at least four lion attacks on humans have been reported in the region over the past 20 days.
The latest death comes after several other lion-related incidents across Saurashtra. In June, a five-year-old boy was killed in a lion attack in Chaturi village in Amreli district.
Forest officials have also investigated suspected lion attacks in Jafrabad, Savarkundla, Rajula and Bhavnagar, raising fresh concerns over the growing number of encounters between Asiatic lions and humans.
Investigation Continues
The Forest Department is continuing its investigation to recover digital evidence, identify everyone who was present at the scene and determine whether violations of the Wildlife Protection Act contributed to Sohil Memon’s death.
Authorities have also renewed their appeal for stricter action against illegal lion watching and greater public awareness to prevent such incidents in the future.
Also Read: From Coexistence To Conflict: Why Gujarat’s Villages Are Turning Against The Pride https://www.vibesofindia.com/gujarat-lion-attacks-human-lion-conflict-villages-turn-against-conservation/
