Click to play videoNew Delhi: In a tragic incident, a 28-year old man was mauled to death in Veraval forest range near the famous Gir National Park in Gujarat on Friday.
Rajesh Parmar and three of his friends were on a trip to Veraval forest range. On their way into the reserve forest area, they made the mistake of getting too close to a pride of seven lions.
Agitated, one of the beasts attacked the group, dragging away Rajesh. He was later found dead, while the other three managed to escape.
Forest guards who were clearing grass about a kilometre away, rushed to the spot and eventually had to use a tractor to scare the lions away and recover Rajesh's body.
The Gujarat forest department says that the four persons were not authorised to enter the forest and had done so illegally.
"They had illegally entered the reserve forest area. They had come to see the lions, but ventured too close to the group. People do not understand the nature of the lions. They go close to them and agitate them,” says Range Forest Officer, Veraval Range, S B Vaghasiya.
They also say the man had died even before the forest guards could rush to the spot to try and rescue him.
The forest department now plans to take action against the three survivors for entering the forest without permission.. Since their scary ordeal, Rajesh's friends are absconding.
The Gir National Park is the last home of the Asiatic Lion and the forests here are heavily guarded.
"People do not understand that these are wild animals and go to close or arty and agitate," says Vaghasiya.
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