Lion mauls teen to death in Gujarat's Junagadh district

The incident took place in Vanthali range forest area of Junagadh division, where two girls belonging to a family of migrant farm labourers stepped out to answer natures call late on Monday night, the official said.The girls were attacked by two young lions and one of them was dragged away and mauled to death around 2 am, said Sunil Berwa, deputy conservator of forest Junagadh.

A 14-year-old girl was mauled to death by a lion in Dhanfuliya village of Gujarat's Junagadh district, an official from the forest department said on Tuesday. The incident took place in Vanthali range forest area of Junagadh division, where two girls belonging to a family of migrant farm labourers stepped out to answer nature's call late on Monday night, the official said.

''The girls were attacked by two young lions and one of them was dragged away and mauled to death around 2 am,'' said Sunil Berwa, deputy conservator of forest (Junagadh). According to officials, the other girl managed to escape by jumping into a water tank.

''Our staff who were nearby rushed to the spot after hearing noise and saw the lions. The body was recovered soon after,'' he said. The deceased was identified as Bhavna Baria, who belonged to a family of farm labourers from Godhra in the state's Panchmahal district.

Efforts are underway to rescue the predator and cages are being placed in the area, the DCF said. According to locals, lions have been spotted in the area since the last six months, and there have been incidents of them preying on cattle.