Two lions attack keeper in Bengaluru zoo

Two male lions attacked and grievously injured their keeper on Monday at the Bannerghatta Biological Park in Bengaluru, a zoo official said.

"The incident occurred early in the day (around 9.30-10 a.m.) when the two male lions pounced on their keeper Sri Krishna who was standing in the central passage of their holding house for vaccinating them," zoo director Range Gowda said in a statement here.

Though Krishna was at the holding house with veterinary doctor Nirupama and three interns, another keeper by mistake lifted the side gate instead of the squeeze cage side gate where all the lions were to be vaccinated.

"As the two lions attacked Krishna, other animal keepers rushed to the spot and chased them away, rescued and rushed him to a nearby private hospital for emergency treatment," Gowda said.

Krishna suffered multiple injuries in the neck and abdomen.

The shocking incident brought to the fore again safety measures and response time of the authorities in dealing with an emergency.

In September 2014, a youth was mauled to death by a white tiger when he fell into a moat in its enclosure at the Delhi zoo.