A cattle herder in India has survived a frightening encounter with a lioness after reportedly spending nearly 30 minutes trapped beneath the wild animal in an incident captured on video.
The attack happened in Garajiya village in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district on Sunday, July 5. According to forest officials, the lioness knocked the man to the ground on a village road, where she remained on top of him for several tense minutes.
Footage that has since gone viral shows the injured man lying motionless beside a parked pickup truck as the lioness stands over him. Despite appearing to be bleeding, he resisted the urge to struggle and, at one point, cautiously reached out to gently pet the animal in an apparent attempt to keep it calm.
As the ordeal unfolded, villagers gathered at a safe distance, shouting and throwing stones in an effort to distract the lioness. However, none ventured close enough to intervene directly.
The standoff finally ended when the lioness released the man and walked away towards a nearby cattle shelter, according to Chirag Amin, Deputy Conservator of Forests for the Shatrunjay Division.
The victim, identified as Kalubhai Parmar, was first taken to a government hospital in Palitana before being transferred to Bhavnagar for further treatment. Forest authorities later confirmed that he is recovering and is no longer in danger.
In a statement, the Palitana Range Forest Office said the incident occurred after residents spotted the lioness in the village and raised the alarm. Officials added that the animal appeared to be trying to leave the area when the man sustained his injuries.
The forest department commended Parmar for displaying “extraordinary courage, patience, presence of mind and mental composure,” noting that his calm reaction likely prevented the situation from becoming even more dangerous.
Authorities have since launched an operation to capture the lioness. They have also urged members of the public not to chase, provoke or attempt to drive the animal away, advising anyone who spots it to alert the forest department immediately.
