India: Man fatally attacked by lion while attempting selfie in Tirupati zoo enclosure

Prahlad Gujjar (34), a resident of Bansur municipality in Alwar district, Rajasthan, lost his life after being attacked by lions when he entered their enclosure at the Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park (SVZP) in Tirupati in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday (February 15).

Despite purchasing a ticket as a lone visitor, he ignored safety norms and ventured into the lions' enclosure with the intention of taking a selfie.

Even with the on-duty watcher noticing him from a distance of 200 meters and sounding an alarm, Prahlad managed to scale a large wall, accessing a secluded zone meant exclusively for caretakers and doctors.

In the enclosure housing one female and two male lions, a male lion named Dungarpur swiftly attacked Prahlad, seizing him by the neck and tearing his clothes. Although he attempted to escape by climbing a tree, his efforts proved futile as the lion pulled him into the enclosure and carried him for a hundred meters.

The watcher intervened and managed to shoo the lion back into its cage. Zoo authorities and local police promptly responded, recovering Prahlad's body from the enclosure. CCTV footage confirmed his entry into the zoo premises, but notably, there were no cameras near the lions' enclosure.

Speculations arose regarding Prahlad's mental state or possible intoxication, but the police declined to comment, stating that a definitive assessment would only be possible after a post-mortem examination.

(With inputs fromagencies)