Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Wild Films India
Topics: Animals, World News
Rhianna Benson
It's been 10 years since visitors to Delhi Zoo were witnessed the brutal attack and murder of a 20-year-old man who had fallen into the enclosure of a colossal white tiger.
The man in question, known only as Masqood, was said to have crossed over the barrier intended to keep viewers of the animals safe, before losing his footing.
He'd reportedly been warned by Delhi Zoo guards about the dangers of his actions, but was desperate to get a closer look at the majestic jungle cat.
It was then, however, that Masqood tripped and plummeted into the white tiger's enclosure, landing in the dry moat.
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Harrowing footage of the incident shows the young man pressed against the wall on the floor of the cage, with the carnivorous cat - named Vijay - leering just inches away from his face.
Masqood can then be seen waving his hands before his face, imploring with the 200kg tiger to leave him alone.
After several minutes, however, the beast can be seen becoming restless, before pouncing on the man, gripping his neck in its mighty jaws before dragging him to the back of the enclosure.
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A witness to the blood-curdling attack - known only as Himanshu - told press at the time that Masqood has been writhing in agony for at least 15 minutes before passing away.
Another spectator, Bittu, alleged that he and other visitors attempted to throw stones at the tiger in the hope of scaring it away from Masqood, but were unsuccessful.
But the zoo authorities later insisted there was nothing they could have done to save the man's life, being that they were without tranquilizers and wirelesses to call for back-up.
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All they and visiting spectators could do was stand by and watch as Masqood surrendered to his fate and stopped struggling.
His body was then left lying out for several hours, with guards claiming they struggled to get the tiger back into a smaller enclosure while they received it.
Masqood's mother Ishrat later told press of her son: "He left from home at 8 am after I told him to go to work. He said he would come home at night. The next thing we heard was that he was in the hospital."
Investigating officers registered the death as being 'due to negligence' against unknown accused at the time.