By our correspondent, Vadodara, 9 November, 2011

Dhruv Ashokbhai Gohil, a 22-year-old youth in Vadodara has learned the hard way why there are safety barriers at zoos.

Authorities say a lion ‘Kuvar’ at the Sayajirav Zoo bit off and badly scratched tip of Dhruv’s finger when youth was standing next to cage, so that his friend could click him with lion through a mobile phone camera.

The zoo’s director says visitors are asked to stay behind the safety barriers.

The lion apparently bit the youth from inside its cage, even though he was outside.

Dhruv had just completed his exams yesterday and in holiday mood he was on visit to Sayajirao zoo with his friends. When he saw lion’s cage, he asked his friend to click him with the lion. Dhruv stood up extremely close to cage with cage’s steel pipe in his hand. The lion was inside at some distance away, but immediately jumped and caught Dhruv’s hand in its mouth.

Security man on duty rushed and tried to push back the angry(or sporty)lion by hitting stick on its body.

Soon after he was rescued, Dhruv fell on the ground and turned unconscious. He was later treated at Sayaji hospital.

Dhruv is student of M.S.University’s Biochemistry department, and lives at Harni-Varasiya ring road’s Krishnavila society.