New Delhi: The Delhi zoo on Tuesday clarified that the youth, who was mauled to death by a white tiger, had "jumped into the enclosure" and did not slip and fall as claimed by some witnesses.


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In a statement, the National Zoological Park said the enclosure of the park was designed as per the standards laid down by the Central Zoo Authority of India.


"All the enclosures of the National Zoological Park are absolutely safe. No visitor can reach the moat wall of the enclosure without the stand-off barrier. The visitor crossed the stand-off barrier and ultimately jumped into the enclosure which led to his death by the tiger," the statement said.


Terming the incident "unfortunate", the statement said immediately after the visitor, 20-year-old Maksood, a resident of Anand Parbat area, jumped into the enclosure, a guard posted there sounded an alarm.


"Praveen, the guard posted at the enclosure, sounded an alarm and collected his supervisor and other staff of the zoo by sending wireless SOS message," the zoo said.


"Praveen along with other staff of the zoo tried to divert the attention of the tiger from the visitor but to no avail."


"The tiger mauled the visitor who died on the spot. An ambulance and police were called immediately," the statement added.


Witnesses earlier said the youth was leaning against the moat which separated the tiger enclosure from the visitors' gallery, and he slipped and tumbled into the dry moat and immediately was face to face with the tiger.