A tragic incident occurred at Sherbagh Zoo in Bahawalpur, Punjab province, Pakistan, on Thursday, December 7, 2023, where a man was mauled to death by tigers. The victim, identified as 28-year-old Muhammad Bilawal from Lahore, was found in the tiger den by the zoo staff during a cleaning operation.
Authorities believe Bilawal, who had addiction issues and a history of disappearing, may have jumped into the tiger enclosure. The evidence at the scene and the condition of his body suggest that he was alive when the tigers attacked him. The incident was further underscored by the discovery of one of the tigers with a shoe, thought to be Bilawal’s, in its mouth, and the severe mauling of his legs.
Following this incident, Sherbagh Zoo has been shut down temporarily. An intensive investigation has been initiated to probe the security breach and examine potential staff negligence. The tigers involved in the attack have been moved to another enclosure for the collection of evidence.
The troubled past of Muhammad Bilawal, a Lahore resident, is being explored by officials, with a focus on his possible intentional entry into the enclosure.
Sherbagh Zoo, known also as Bahawalpur Zoo, is a prominent zoo in Pakistan, housing a variety of animals, including lions, tigers, and hyenas, in state-of-the-art enclosures.
Investigators are now working to establish how Bilawal accessed the restricted area and whether any lapses in zoo security or negligence by the staff played a part in this fatal incident.