A decade has passed since the shocking and tragic incident at Delhi Zoo, where a 20-year-old man, known as Masqood, was violently attacked and killed by a massive white tiger.
This horrifying event unfolded when Masqood, in a fateful decision, chose to cross the safety barrier that was designed to protect zoo visitors from the animals, ultimately leading to him losing his balance and falling into the tiger’s enclosure.
Despite being cautioned by the Delhi Zoo guards about the potential risks, Masqood’s curiosity to see the grand jungle cat up close drove him to a perilous situation.
In a tragic misstep, he tripped and fell into the enclosure of the white tiger, landing in the dry moat below.
The man attempted to shield himself from the tiger.
The distressing incident was captured on video, which shows Masqood pressed against the wall of the cage, facing the predatory cat, Vijay, who was looming just inches away from his face.
In a desperate plea for mercy, Masqood was seen frantically waving his hands in front of his face, attempting to persuade the 200kg tiger to spare his life.
After a tense standoff lasting several minutes, the tiger, becoming increasingly agitated, attacked Masqood.
Vijay pounced on him, seizing his neck in its formidable jaws and dragging him to the back of the enclosure.
A witness, known only as Himanshu, later recounted to the media that Masqood endured excruciating pain for at least 15 minutes before his death.
Bittu, another witness at the scene, reported that he, along with other visitors, made frantic efforts to distract the tiger by throwing stones at it, hoping to save Masqood.
Sadly, these attempts were to no avail.
Spectators threw stones at the tiger in an attempt to distract it.
The zoo authorities later stated that there was no viable action they could have taken to rescue Masqood, given their lack of tranquilizers and wireless communication devices to call for help.
Powerless in this dire situation, both the authorities and the onlookers could only watch in horror as Masqood eventually succumbed to his injuries and ceased struggling against the inevitable.
Following the attack, Masqood’s body remained in the enclosure for several hours. T
he zoo guards faced difficulties in moving the tiger to a smaller containment area to safely retrieve the body.
Ishrat, Masqood’s mother, shared her heartbreak with the press:
“He left from home at 8 am after I told him to go to work. He said he would come home at night. The next thing we heard was that he was in the hospital.”
The case was registered by investigating officers as a death ‘due to negligence’ against unidentified individuals at the time of the tragic event.
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