Zoo authorities told IANS that the female baby died two hours after birth. The mother Sujata had a complicated, prolonged labour. "It is a very sad moment for us. Despite everything being normal during the pregnancy, we lost the new inmate," Renu Singh, the zoo director, told IANS.

Sujata who was brought from the Alipore zoo in Kolkata in 2002 along with her mate Anubhav, conceived 14 months back. Doctors said she would be due for delivery May 7. She went into labour Saturday night, causing veterinary doctors attending to her concern. By Sunday afternoon, she gave up eating and had to be separated from Anubhav. She was restricted to a separate enclosure, and she gave birth Sunday evening.