Bhubaneswar: Alert security guards at Nandankanan Zoological Park here Friday rescued a man who jumped into the tiger enclosure.
A man identified as 50-year-old Prakash Pani, a resident of Balikuda in Sadar police limits of Cuttack, reportedly jumped into the enclosure number 31 (A) and (B) of the NZP.
According to zoo officials, Pani scaled the 20-feet fence of the enclosure and jumped into the tiger den where two tigers were residing.
According to sources, a large number of visitors gathered at enclosure No 31A around 4pm when Pani went near the enclosure to see tigers Bahubali and Kundan. As the number of visitors decreased after a few minutes, Pani scaled the parapet wall of the enclosure and tried to jump into it.
Two security guards noticed Pani and rescued him. Later, the zoo authorities took Pani to Nandankanan police station. During interrogation, Pani said he was suffering from depression. “He used to work in Konark TV Company. He set up a consultant firm and also did electric works to maintain his family following shutdown of the company. Due to financial problems, he approached the administration for help, but in vain. So, he had decided to end his life,” police said, quoting Pani.
Earlier, a man was seriously injured after being attacked by a pair of lions when he jumped into their enclosure at the zoo October 5, 2012. The man was identified as Suryanarayan Das (45) from Chhatrapur in Ganjam district. He had climbed on the wall and jumped into the lion enclosure (29-D) housing Cris (male lion) and Priyanka.
Das had sustained multiple injuries on his skull, cheeks, neck, legs and hands.
Post News Network/Agencies