RAJKOT: Villagers in Amreli seldom fear lions venturing in their narrow lanes and preying on cattle. They click photos and videos as the felines relish their kill for hours at kissing distance from houses.
But this 38-year-old farmer in Abhrampara village, some 50 km from Amreli town, got so traumatized by the site of two lions that he climbed up the tank that stores water for the village.
On Wednesday early morning, the farmer, Janak Padsara, was returning home after watering his field. Hesuddenly heard some noise in the dark on the village outskirts and flashed his torch light.
On seeing the gleaming eyes of two lions staring at him, Padsara was so horror-stricken that he froze. Disoriented due to fear, Padsara ran to the panchayat water tank and parked himself there, shivering with scare.
Padsara was so shocked that he could not even speak for nearly 45 minutes. After gathering himself he called some people for help.
It took nearly two hours for the villagers to make him feel comfortable and convince him to get down from the 10 foot high tank.
Haresh Mesuriya, a villager said, “I got a call from a friend that Padsara had climbed up the tank and needed help. When we went, the lions had they already left, but he just refused to come down. He was unable to come down on his own though he had climbed up. Initially, he even refused our help. It took much coaxing and convincing to bring him down.
There are nearly 110 lions in Amreli district and most of them are in the revenue (non-protected) area.
Even after getting down, Padsara was shivering due to fear and sweating profusely. He was taken home and asked to take rest.