A cattle herder in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district survived a harrowing encounter with a lioness by remaining calm and gently stroking the animal during a 30-minute ordeal. The incident, captured on video and widely shared online, occurred on Sunday, July 5, when the lioness attacked the man and pinned him down on a village road.
Attack Details and Victim’s Response
The viral footage shows the lioness holding the man to the ground next to a parked pickup truck. The victim, identified as Kalubhai Parmar, appeared to be bleeding but remained still throughout the attack. At one point, he gently reached out to touch the big cat in a bid to calm it. Villagers shouted from a distance and threw stones at the lioness, but no one dared to approach.
Release and Medical Care
After several tense minutes, the lioness released the man and walked toward a nearby cattle shelter, said Chirag Amin, deputy conservator of forests of the Shatrunjay Division. Parmar was initially admitted to a local government hospital in Palitana before being shifted to Bhavnagar. Forest officials confirmed he is out of danger.
Forest Department Response
A statement from the Palitana range forest office said the incident occurred in Garajiya village on the morning of July 6, when villagers spotted the lioness and raised an alarm. Officials noted the lion attempted to flee and injured another person, who is undergoing treatment. The forest department praised Parmar for his “extraordinary courage, patience, presence of mind and mental composure,” which prevented the situation from escalating.
Measures Taken
The forest department has initiated measures to capture the lion and appealed to the public not to harass, spot, or drive it away on their own. They urged anyone who sights the lion to contact the department immediately.
