Selfie deaths are not unusual in India any more. While they are tragic, they are also stupid and avoidable. Take the case of a 38-year-old driver (yes, an adult male human) from Rajasthan who, according to news reports, got the bright idea of clicking a selfie with a lion in Tirupati zoo!
It’s hard to say what he was expecting. Maybe he was drunk, as police claimed. Or maybe he thought they could sing ‘Hakuna Matata’ together. But the lion had other ideas when the man climbed an overhead water tank and jumped into its enclosure at the Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park, ignoring the pleas of a caretaker who was outside the enclosure at the time.
The lion, aged 12 years and named Dungarpur, held the intruder by his neck in the classic lion hunting manner, killing him within minutes. The zookeepers moved the lion into the night enclosure and informed the police. Police later identified the victim on the basis of his Aadhaar card, a bus ticket, and a slip with some phone numbers on it, and informed his family.
The zoo authorities later said they would carry out a review of the safety measures at the park. But it remains unclear what precautions will work against such misadventures.
One comment
Bittu
March 19, 2024 at 1:18 am
Human stupidity never ceases to amaze. Pity his family has to suffer the consequences.