11 fined for watching lion show in Talala

09-10-2009
11 fined for watching lion show in Talala
Times of India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/11-fined-for-watching-lion-show-in-Talala/articleshow/5107237.cms


A group of 11 persons that went inside Gir Sanctuary to watch a lion show after midnight on Wednesday were fined by forest officials and let off.

Sources said the incident took place between Borvav and Dhava villages. A pride of lions preyed on a buffalo and nearby villagers rushed to the spot to see it. One of local from Borvav informed his relative in Junagadh, who rushed to the spot with a group of 10 people. Forest officials came to know about the incident after they found an abandoned Sumo car in the forest. When the group came to pick their vehicle in the morning, they were rounded up and their recorded statements were then corroborated.

District forest officer of Gir West Amit Kumar said, "We wanted to find out if this was a planned thing, so it was necessary to record their statements. From their interrogation we found that this was not a planned show. Hence, they were only fined for intrusion."

Kumar added that had they been booked under section 11 of wildlife protection Act, they would have been in lot of trouble since this is a non-bailable offence. But understanding their situation, we took a lenient view and each person was fined Rs 500."