Man mauled to death inside Punjab zoo

An unidentified man was mauled to death on Sunday afternoon in the Lion Safari of the Chhatbir Zoo in Punjab's Mohali district, around 20 km from Chandigarh. Zoo officials said the victim, believed to be around 25 years old, was spotted by drivers of the buses that ferry tourists inside the lion safari.

There were four lions in the lion safari at the time of the incident. The victim was attacked for around 10 minutes by two lions, Shilpa and Yuvraj. "The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead," a zoo official said.

Zoo officials said they were trying to ascertain how the young man scaled the 12-ft-high wall of the safari enclosure. There was a barbed wire fencing on top of that wall. The lion safari has been closed for the time being for visitors following Sunday's incident.

The Chhatbir zoo is a popular place in the region and attracts hundreds of visitors, especially on weekends. Called the Mohendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, Chhatbir zoo is spread over 505 acres and is home to over 1,200 animals from over 100 species.