Man killed by lion after entering enclosure at zoo: ‘The animal attacked’

A zoo guest who decided to climb a wall to enter a lion enclosure to apparently take a selfie was mauled to death by the animal Thursday, according to reports. 

The man, identified as Prahalad Gurjar, 34, “climbed the wall and chain-link fencing” of the Sri Venkateswara zoological park in Tirupati, India, and jumped into the enclosure despite warnings from a zoo employee. 

“After seeing the human being inside the enclosure, the animal attacked,” the zoo said. 

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A lion at another zoo in Ahmedabad, India. (Sam Panthaky / AFP / File)

“Though the animal keeper and other security staff nearby tried to save the person, the animal dragged the person inside the enclosure,” the zoo said. 

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Gurjar was dead within 10 minutes, The Times of India reported, adding that the 12-year-old lion was put in his nighthouse while authorities recovered the body. 

Gurjar appeared to be intoxicated before jumping into the enclosure, the Times reported. 

The enclosure has a 4-foot wall and a 6-foot iron fence around it. 

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The zoo said this is the first time an incident like this has happened, and it will review its security to make sure it doesn’t happen again, according reports. 

Gurjar was from the Alwar District in northern India. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the zoo for comment.