Man jumps into lion enclosure at zoo, rescued unhurt

A 35-year-old "drunken" man jumped into a lion enclosure at Nehru Zoological Park here today reportedly "to shake hand with a lion" but was rescued unhurt by the alert animal keeper. Mukesh, a native of Sikar district in Rajasthan, crossed the barricade of the African lion enclosure despite warningsby the security staff, Nehru Zoological Park Curator Shivani Dogra said. "The lioness (Radhika) was inside the enclosure but the person was rescued unhurt by its keeper R Papaiah," the zoo officials said, adding the big cat had moved close to Mukesh but Papaiah diverted the lioness from him. "After preliminary enquiry it was found that Mukesh was in an inebriated state and had jumped inside the enclosure to go near the lion. He has been handed over to Bahadurpura Police," Dogra said. Mukesh works as a labourer with L&T Metro Rail here. When contacted, Bahadurpura Police Station Inspector Harish Kaushik said Mukesh jumped into the lion enclosure in an intoxicated condition and he will be booked on the charge of trespass under IPC. "This kind of incident is creating fear among public, even after Nehru Zoological Park administration is trying its level best to make the zoo park a safe and secure place to visit," Dogra said.