A sub-adult Asiatic lion attacked and injured a cattle herder in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district on Monday (July 6, 2026), with forest officials launching a rescue operation to capture the animal after a video of the incident went viral on social media.The incident occurred in the morning at Garajiya village in Palitana taluka when Kalubhai Parmar had gone to feed his cattle.The viral video showed the lion gripping Mr. Parmar’s arm in its jaws as he lay on the ground while bystanders tried to drive the animal away.Preliminary findings suggested the animal may have been provoked, triggering panic and leading to the attack, officials said.“The preliminary information suggests the animal would have safely passed through the area, but it appears the animal was provoked, which might have agitated it,” they said, adding that the location is a known wildlife movement corridor.Mr. Parmar was shifted to a hospital in Bhavnagar for treatment. Forest Department personnel were deployed at the hospital, and officials said he was out of danger.Speaking from his hospital bed, Mr. Parmar said the lion knocked him to the ground before biting his arm.“I had gone to feed my cow in the morning. The lion was sitting there and suddenly attacked me. It first knocked me down and then grabbed my hand in its mouth. It held on to my hand for about half an hour. I escaped after the lion loosened its grip,” he said.The lion attempted to attack another man, who managed to escape, Mr. Parmar claimed.The animal seen in the viral video had been identified as a sub-adult male Asiatic lion, officials said. A veterinary doctor with a tranquiliser gun, the Range Forest Officer, and other forest staff are carrying out a search and rescue operation in the area with cages, they said. Published - July 06, 2026 08:20 pm IST