Escaped tiger shot dead by German police

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BERLIN: Armed German police have shot and killed an escaped tiger after it severely mauled an elderly handler on the outskirts of Leipzig, local authorities announced on Monday.

The dangerous incident unfolded on Sunday when the 280-kilogram Bengal-Siberian mix, named Sandokan, attacked a 72-year-old caretaker inside its cage. The predator subsequently managed to breach the perimeter of its privately run facility.

Given the immediate public safety threat in a busy residential area, specialized police units deployed a helicopter to track the animal, locating it shortly afterward in a nearby allotment garden complex. Armed officers fatally shot the tiger to prevent any further risk to local citizens.

The facility is owned by controversial exotic animal trainer Carmen Zander, who widely brands herself as Germany's ‘Tiger Queen’. The high-profile killing has triggered intense regional backlash from animal rights organizations like PETA, which blamed regulatory authorities for failing to confiscate the tigers sooner despite ongoing space and safety violations.