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Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, January 21
Visitors watched in horror as a lion dragged an unidentified man inside Chhatbir zoo on Sunday. He was mauled to death by a lion and a lioness.
A video of the incident shot from a bus ferrying visitors in Lion Safari showed the lion dragging the man to a distance.
Petrified as the sight unfolded, those is the bus, among them women and kids, shouted for help but to no avail.
The man had entered Lion Safari by scaling a 25-ft wall and as soon as he crossed over, he was attacked by two lions.
The injury on his neck was deep. He was taken to civil hospital, Dera Bassi, in a critical condition where he died.
Meanwhile, authorities have formed a team to probe the incident.
"We have formed a five-member team to probe the incident. It will find out how this incident happened and what was the motive of the man? It will also suggest measures to be taken to prevent such incidents in future," said Zoo Field Director M Sudhagarb.
"It will also probe any lapse on the part of any zoo official," he said, adding that the team will submit its report within five days.
Sudhagarb said the lion and the lioness which killed the man were kept under observation.
"They will be kept under observation for two to three days to check any behavioural change in them," he said.
The authorities have also planned to place more security men in and around the zoo, and install more CCTV cameras.
"We want to close the visibility part of the boundary wall of lion safari. Moreover, we want permanent security team near lion safari to monitor the vulnerable points," Sudhagarb said.
When contacted Zirakpur police station, Inspector Gurjeet Singh said the identity of the deceased was yet to be established.
His body was kept in the civil hospital, he added. — With PTI inputs
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