Pradesh: A man from Rajasthan, Prahlad Gujjar, lost his life after jumping into an Asiatic lion’s enclosure at Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
Officials reported that Gujjar had climbed a 12-foot fence to get into the enclosure, where he intended to take a selfie with the lion. As per local news reports, he was allegedly intoxicated at the time.
When Gujjar was spotted attempting to scale the fence by a security guard, an alarm was raised. However, he managed to evade capture by jumping into a water tank.
Despite the best efforts of the zoo’s personnel, the lion mauled him to death and Gujjar died on the spot. It was also reported that the two lionesses in the enclosure stood by as the lion attacked the man.
The incident was particularly grim, not just for Gujjar’s death but also because the lions remained close to his remains until their handlers lured them back into their feeding cages.
The police are currently searching for Gujjar’s family and looking into whether he had any mental health issues. A post-mortem report is expected to reveal whether he was indeed intoxicated at the time.
Meanwhile, the lion has been shifted to another enclosure where it will be closely monitored under observation.
This is a tragic reminder of the dangers of taking risks and violating the rules at zoological parks, and this incident has shaken visitors and personnel alike. The incident serves as a grave warning for others not to disregard safety rules and act recklessly around animals.
