Lion Attacks And Kills Youth In Amreli; Forest Department Faces Criticism Over Inaction

Amreli: In a tragic incident from Gujarat’s Amreli district, a 22-year-old man was mauled to death by a lion late Monday night in Luwariya village, located in the Lathi taluka. The victim, identified as Ardeepbhai Jasubhai Khuman, was reportedly attacked while observing a lion sighting, a growing occurrence in the region.

According to local residents, the lion pounced on Ardeepbhai during the night and inflicted fatal injuries. His body was taken to the Amreli Civil Hospital, where a post-mortem was conducted. His final rites were performed early the next morning. Residents claim that lion activity in the area has significantly increased in recent weeks and that the authorities were well aware of the growing threat. They allege no effective measures were taken, despite repeated sightings.

In response to the fatal attack, several teams from the forest department have begun an investigation. Senior officials are now probing the circumstances, though the department has stated that it had no prior knowledge of the specific incident. The tragedy has reignited concerns over human-wildlife conflict in the region and the effectiveness of wildlife management protocols.