Two women and a 12-year-old minor girl from Gujarat s Junagadh district, who were seen performing Garba dance with snakes, have been booked under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, a forest department official said on Saturday. The action against them was taken after their dance video with snakes of cobra and other species went viral online. The girls had performed Garba during the recently concluded Navratri Festival.
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.
A young lion was captured on CCTV while entering the parking area of a hotel, situated in central part of Gujarat's Junagadh city, early on Wednesday and strolling around for some time before going away.