TIRUPATI Man Mauled to Death by Lion While Attempting Selfie in Zoo

Tragic Incident at Tirupati Zoo

An unfortunate incident occurred at the Tirupati zoo in Andhra Pradesh, where a man from Rajasthan was mauled to death by a lion. The incident took place on Thursday when the man, identified as Prahlad Gurjar, 38, attempted to take a selfie with the lion. This adventurous move ultimately led to his tragic demise.

Details of the Incident

According to the police, Prahlad Gurjar appeared to be intoxicated at the time of the incident. He managed to scale a four-feet safety wall and entered the lion’s enclosure. Despite the warning from the zoo watcher, Prahlad ignored the cautionary advice and proceeded with his ill-fated selfie attempt.

Zoo’s Response

The zoo officials immediately took action to retrieve the badly injured body of Prahlad Gurjar. The 12-year-old lion was safely caged after the incident. Zoo authorities suspect that excessive bleeding from the wounds caused by the lion may have resulted in Prahlad’s death.

A Series of Incidents

This unfortunate event marks the second incident in a zoo in Andhra Pradesh within a short span of time. Last year on November 27, a bear attacked and killed a zoo employee in the Visakhapatnam zoo. The employee had forgotten to close the safety door, leading to the tragic incident.

Police Investigation

The local police inspector, Thameem Ahmed, provided further details about the incident. Prahlad Gurjar sneaked into a no-entry area near the lion’s enclosure. He climbed on top of an overhead water tank and suddenly jumped into the lion enclosure at around 2:30 pm. Despite the watcher’s shouts to dissuade him, it was too late to prevent the fatal attack.

Immediate Actions Taken

As soon as the watcher alerted the zoo authorities, they swiftly moved the lion to a separate night house located outside the enclosure. The police were informed promptly, and a panchanama (inspection report) was conducted. Prahlad Gurjar’s body was sent to the government hospital for a post mortem. The police were able to identify the victim based on his Aadhar card, a bus ticket, and a slip with some phone numbers.

Prahlad Gurjar’s Background

Prahlad Gurjar hailed from Turana village in Bansur tehsil of Alwar district in Rajasthan. He worked as a driver and had been away from home for about two months before the incident. He boarded a bus in Hyderabad on February 13 and arrived in Tirupati. The police are currently investigating his activities in Tirupati since his arrival. Prahlad visited the SV Zoo Park on the day of the incident.

Zoo Curator’s Statement

The zoo curator, C Selvam, expressed his concern over the incident. He stated that this was the first time such an incident had occurred in the zoo. The lion’s enclosure is equipped with a four-feet wall and six-feet tall iron fencing. Despite the cautionary measures in place, Prahlad intentionally entered the enclosure. The curator assured that the zoo would review its security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.