Tragic Accident Claims Lion Cub's Life on Coastal Highway

A tragic incident unfolded on the Bhavnagar-Somnath Coastal National Highway in Gujarat, as a one-year-old lion cub was killed after being hit by a vehicle. This alarming accident occurred near Dantardi village in the Rajula wildlife range at approximately 9.30 pm on Wednesday.

Assistant Conservator of Forests Viralsinh Chavda announced the arrest of Indarsingh Rawat, a 27-year-old resident of Rajasthan, identified through CCTV footage as the driver of the involved Gujarat-registered Swift car. Rawat reportedly did not halt after the incident, leading to his vehicle being seized by authorities.

A post-mortem revealed the cub perished from injuries resulting from a severe impact. The case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act. The event sheds light on a persistent issue; within two years, Gujarat reported the deaths of 286 lions, with 58 due to unnatural factors.

(With inputs from agencies.)