'30 minutes of horror': Gir lion attacks man in Gujarat, traps him for nearly half an hour; video goes viral

A video showing a lioness attacking a man in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district has gone viral on social media. According to posts on X, the incident took place in Palitana town.

Reports circulating on social media claim that the lioness attacked an animal caretaker, trapping him for nearly 30 minutes. Despite the prolonged ordeal, the man reportedly remained calm until rescuers arrived.

"Despite the terrifying ordeal, he stayed remarkably calm, even gently touching the lioness's head until rescuers arrived. He survived but suffered serious injuries," an X user wrote while sharing the video.


Another user linked the incident to the growing human-lion conflict in Gujarat. "This is the pathetic reality of turning a blind eye to science and law. Gir is overflowing, inbreeding is rampant, and conflict is exploding. The Supreme Court's 2013 order to shift lions to Kuno was blatantly ignored, forcing me to file a contempt petition in the SC. Still, no action has been taken. Gujarat Govt: Lions belong to the NATION, not just your ego. You refuse to share lions but want MP's tigers? The double standards are disgusting."


Another user commented: "Videos like this remind us that no matter how often humans and Gir lions coexist, wild animals are still wild. This isn't about blame—it's their natural instinct. Respect wildlife, keep your distance, and never mistake coexistence for domestication."

Last month, forest officials captured at least 30 lions from different forest ranges in Gujarat following a series of incidents involving increasing interactions between humans and lions.

On June 16, a lion mauled to death a 25-year-old restaurant worker in Amreli district. Local residents later found parts of the victim's body, including his severed head, near an approach road close to Kovaya village under the Rajula forest range.

A few days later, a five-year-old boy was killed in a lion attack while walking with his grandfather in Chaturi village in Khambha taluka, triggering protests against the forest department.

The recent incidents have also prompted concerns among wildlife experts over the state's response.

"The ongoing mass capture of lions is concerning. Lions that have not been involved in any conflict are also being targeted in the action. If such lions are kept in captivity for life or released into parts of the Gir forest already occupied by other lions, it could create serious territorial conflicts and additional ecological problems," wildlife photographer and lion expert Bhushan Pandya told PTI.

Pandya said the situation requires a scientific and evidence-based approach rather than broad capture operations.

With PTI Inputs