Lion kills 11-year-old boy on Girnar Hill in Gujarat

An 11-year-old boy was mauled to death by a lion while climbing the Girnar Hill with his family in Gujarat’s Junagadh district in the early hours of Saturday (July 11, 2026), officials said.

A lion was captured after the attack, while a search is underway for two other big cats spotted in the area, they said.

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Girnar is a pilgrimage site with several shrines located on top of the hill.

“The boy, Mayur Chauhan, was climbing the hill with his family when a lion attacked and dragged him away near the stairway between 5 am and 6 am. His remains were later recovered and handed over to the family,” Junagadh Collector Yogesh Chaudhary told PTI.

According to eyewitnesses, three lions were seen near the stairway.

Forest officials have caged one of the animals, and efforts are on to trace the other two, the official said.

The stairway, where the attack took place, has been temporarily closed to the public, and pilgrims are being diverted through the old route, said the collector.