Gujarat: Woman mauled to death by lion in Gir Somnath district

Veraval: A 40-year-old woman was mauled to death by a lion in a village in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district, a forest official said on Monday.

The incident took place near Vaodara-Dodiya village in Verval taluka on Sunday evening, the official said.

Bhanuben Amheda had ventured into a forest with a few other women from the village to collect wood when a lion attacked her, range forest officer Khimanand Pampaniya said.

The forest of Vadodara-Dodiya is situated near the seashore and lions have been spotted in the area in the past as well, he said.

"A group of five to six women of Vadodara-Dodiya village went to collect wood in the forest on Sunday afternoon. When they were returning home, a lion attacked Bhanuben and dragged her inside the forest. On learning about the attack, forest personnel launched a search," the RFO said.

The woman's body was finally recovered this morning, he said.

"Lions use this forest as a corridor to go from one place to another. They don't live here. Our staff is scanning the entire region to locate the animal," the official said.