Loco pilots avert train collision with 6 lions

Rajkot: The quick actions of a train crew prevented a tragedy on Tuesday, when a pride of six Asiatic lions was crossing railway tracks in the Junagadh–Visavadar section.

According to the Bhavnagar division of Western Railway loco pilot Ramesh P and assistant loco pilot Chintan Kumar, both based in Junagadh, were operating the Junagadh-Veraval passenger train when they saw the pride on the track.

The division has seen significant success through coordinated efforts with the forest department. In the 2024-25 financial year, 159 lions were saved from accidents, followed by 129 in 2025-26. In the current financial year, 11 lions have have been saved since April.

In a related incident, the forest department team from Rajula helped two lions safely cross the national highway near Chhatadiya village on the Amreli-Bhavnagar stretch late Tuesday night. The team temporarily halted traffic on both sides of the highway after spotting the lions. The highway witnesses the movement of heavy vehicles like trucks, buses, tempos besides cars and two-wheelers.