Junagadh:Three persons have been arrested for allegedly harassing lions by chasing them on their vehicles and shooting videos using mobile phones in Gir Wildlife Sanctuary in Junagadh district of Gujarat, a forest official said on Saturday. Out of six persons involved in the incident, the authorities on Friday arrested three accused, who hail from Rajasthan, after videos of the chase surfaced on social media, an official said.
According to forest officials, the videos were most likely recorded two weeks ago in Gir Wildlife Sanctuary near Sasan Gir in Junagadh district. In a video, some persons can be seen following a pride of lions on two vehicles, with one of them sitting on the bonnet of a four-wheeler. Some of the accused shot videos on their mobile phones while driving dangerously close to the lions on what appeared to be a village road.
Offences under relevant provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act have been registered against six persons for trespassing and chasing lions, said Aradhana Sahu, the chief conservator of forests of Junagadh wildlife circle. "Three of the accused were arrested and produced in court, as harassing lions is a non-bailable offence. The arrested accused have been sent to judicial custody," the official said.