Villagers protest outside Junagadh forest office on Monday
Rajkot: In a real life incident resembling scenes from Bollywood movie, ‘Sherni’, villagers of Mendarda taluka and Junagadh taluka are at loggerheads with forest officers over the issue of grazing in forest area in Girnar sanctuary in which three cows, impounded by the forest department, were killed by lions 10 days ago.
While villagers blame the forest department of intentionally feeding the livestock to the lions, foresters maintained they were only discharging their duty. The forest department has ordered a probe but as the embers refuse to die down, the forest officials were forced to brief the forest minister about the clash. Several villages of Mendarda taluka remained closed on Monday protesting the forest department’s attempt to use wildlife lovers and veterinary doctors in their defence.