A day after a 40-year-old man was mauled to death by a white tiger at the popular Bannerghatta Biological Park, numerous workers carried out an impromptu strike that saw the closure of the safari section of the park on Sunday.
Around 7 p.m. on Saturday, Anjeneya (popularly called Anji), a resident of the nearby tribal Hakki Pikki Colony, was mauled when he was at the enclosure to feed the white tigers.
According to officials, he had not locked a gate that separates the tigers from the feeding area.
Two 18-month-old cubs pounced on him, bit him in the throat, before dragging his body towards the safari area.
He died on the spot before his senior manager, Huchche Gowda, could come for help.
Contract worker
Anjeneya was hired as contract labour just a week ago, and was called in to operate the gates of the safari as his colleague did not show up for work, said employees at the zoo.
“Because the zoo no more hires trained permanent employees, untrained contract workers are used. This is dangerous for them and for the animals,” said a worker.
Santosh Kumar, Executive Director, said: “We are told that Anjeneya did not lock the gate properly. These are not man-eating tigers, but their instincts are to attack when they see humans,” he said. As family members and workers gathered in large numbers on Sunday, the zoo could not operate till 11 a.m.
₹10 lakh compensation
The safari area remained closed for the entire day. Officials agreed to pay ₹10 lakh as compensation, and a job on contract basis for the victim’s son.
Over the past two years, a worker was severely injured while feeding lions at the safari; and a nine-year-old white tiger died days after an improperly closed gate saw it enter the enclosure with Royal Bengal Tigers
