NEW DELHI, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 lions were found dead in 10 days in a forest in India's western state of Gujarat, officials said Friday.

The carcasses were found in Gir forest, about 379 km southwest of Gandhinagar, the capital city of Gujarat.

"During the last 10 days 11 lions were found dead in Gir division here," a forest official said. "We have found carcasses of the animals."

The local government has ordered an inquiry into the deaths of lions.

"It is sad to learn about the deaths of lions here. We have sent the carcasses for post-mortem and are awaiting detailed report," Hitesh Vamja, veterinary forest official said. "Preliminary investigations revealed the lions were suffering from a lung infection and in certain cases it had spread to their other body parts."

Some reports quoting forest officials said the deaths might due to the injuries suffered by the wild animals during infighting.

Reports said as per the 2015 census, there were 520 lions in Gir forest.?