A lioness is believed to have killed a five-year-old boy as he slept in an Indian village.
Kishor Parmar was asleep in an open area near a field in Uchaiya in the Amreli district at around 1am on Tuesday when he was savagely attacked by the lioness which is raising two cubs, according to forest officials.
Staff launched a search for the boy after his parents couldn't find him in his bed and his partially-eaten body was later found in an area of woodland, The Indian Express reported.
Dushyant Vasavada, chief conservator of forests of Junagadh wildlife circle said: "Movement of a lioness has been observed in the area where the incident took place. She is also having two cubs.
"We do not know the circumstances under which the incident took place as it happened in the dark of night. But we are investigating the matter.”
Forest staff are now attempting to capture the lioness, which is part of the Asiatic species, using a cage.
Mr Vasavada said: "Since there are cubs also, we have put a ring cage in the area in an effort to rescue the lioness and the cubs."
He added lionesses tend to remain aggressive when they are raising cubs."
Investigators believed the boy's death was accidental.
The boy’s family are thought to be residents of Rajula, a city about 25 miles away from the village.
Dadbhai Dav, assistant sub-inspector of Pipapav Marine Police station, said: “They had been camping in Uchaiya village for some time and working as labourers in agricultural fields in and around the village."
In October last year, Pike Carlson, eight, sustained serious head injuries after he bravely fought off a mountain lion with his bare hands in Bailey, Colorado, US.
Pike was bitten on the head by the beast right outside his own home and in a bid to survive he tried to poke the lion in the eye with a stick and reigned down punches on the animal.
The youngster had to have two surgeries on his face after the attack.
