In a shocking visual, a man was seen sitting close to a lion at the Delhi zoo on Thursday where he spent several moments in front of the animal before being rescued. Zoo officials have said that the man was unstable and added that they tried to stop him from entering the lion's enclosure.

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Face to face with the lion

28-year-old Rehan Khan was able to climb the metal grille surrounding the enclosure and spent several moments sitting face to face in front of the big cat. He even casually laid down in front of the lion before the officials rescued him with no harm. 

"We all rushed to the spot, gave him a ladder but he did not listen. Then we tranquilized the lion and rescued him," said Riyaz Ahmed Khan, spokesperson of the zoo.

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The death wish

An official from the zoo said, "He kept telling us that he has come to die and not to rescue him. We rushed to the spot and gave him a ladder to step out but he did not listen. Then we tranquilized the lion and rescued him". The Deputy Commissioner of Police has said that there will be no case on the man who jumped into the lion's enclosure, instead, he has been sent to a hospital for counseling.

A similar incident had occurred in September 2014 when a mentally challenged man was mauled to death by a white tiger at the Delhi Zoo. He was a factory worker and a resident of Anand Parbat area of the Delhi.

(With ANI inputs)

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