Society

Zoo keeper arrested for tourist's death in NW China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-16 14:52

XI'AN - A zoo keeper in northwest China's Shaanxi province has been arrested for negligence that led to tigers mauling a zoo visitor to death last month, local authorities said Friday.

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Liang Guangzhou, who supervised the tigers' area at Qinling Wildlife Park in the suburbs of the provincial capital Xi'an, was arrested Wednesday, said a spokesman with the People's Procuratorate in Chang'an District.

Liang was accused of dereliction of duty that resulted in the death of 45-year-old Zhang Changqian, the spokesman said.

Zhang and his son, 17, had been walking in the park and had followed a park vehicle into the restricted area by mistake, not knowing it was off-limits to public.

They were attacked by five tigers. The father died at the scene after being bitten on the head and neck and the son was slightly injured on the leg.

Liang, who was on duty that day, had not seen the father and son and had forgotten to lock the gate leading to the restricted area after the park vehicle drove in, the prosecutor said.

According to the park's rules printed on the back of its tickets, visitors must take safety vehicles to see any of the zoo's big cats.

The park has compensated the victims' family 430,000 yuan ($63,000).