NEW DELHI A tiger mauled to death a 20-year-old woman working for a circus in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, press reports said Tuesday. The Nepalese woman, Aishwarya, had just finished her act of riding on the tiger's back when the animal attacked her on the way back to its cage during a show of the Great Raymon Circus in Indore Sunday. Circus staff threw chairs to distract the tiger but failed to rescue Aishwarya, who was declared back when she arrived in hospital.

She had joined the circus two years ago and performed many daring acts with the big cats, the circus said. (DPA)