Zoo staff mauled by panther

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, SEPT. 21. An animal keeper, Valliammal (45), at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur near here died after being mauled by a panther while cleaning its cage this morning.

According to an animal keeper, the incident occurred around 10-30 a.m. Under the impression that the side gate of the enclosure was locked, the victim started cleaning it. All of a sudden, the two- and-half-year-old panther, Vijayan, pushed past the side gate and pounced on her. Valliammal made a feeble attempt to raise an alarm after the animal grasped her neck.

On hearing this, other animal keepers rushed to the enclosure and saw the victim lying in a pool of blood with the animal close by. They drove the animal back into its enclosure and locked it. The victim was taken to the Government hospital, Chromepet, where she succumbed to injuries. The Zoo Director, Mr. N. Krishnakumar, said that about a month ago he had cautioned the animal keepers to check the locks in all enclosures.

The `big cat' was born in captivity two-and-a-half years ago and it did not have any aversion to human beings, one of the officials said. This is the third incident of a keeper dying after being attacked by an animal in the zoo. A few years ago, two persons died after they were attacked by a hippopotamus and a tiger in separate incidents.

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