CALCUTTA, INDIA — A tiger killed one man and mauled another at the Calcutta zoo Monday when they tried to put a marigold garland around its neck in a New Year's greeting.

Prakesh Tiwari, the dead man, and Suresh Rai had been drinking before they bought the floral garlands and crossed the moat around the tiger's enclosure, authorities said.

They wanted to put a garland around the neck of a tiger.

The Royal Bengal cat was named "Shiva" — after the Hindu god of destruction.

"I was shocked to see the two young men weaving about in front of a tiger with garlands in their hands," said Rakesh Banerjee, who witnessed the attack that triggered panic and a near stampede in the zoo.

The men, both in their 20s, were trying to put the garland on a 13-year-old male Royal Bengal tiger named "Shiva" after the Hindu god of destruction.

When Rai threw the garland around Shiva's neck, the tiger attacked him. His friend Tiwari intervened, kicking the tiger in the face. The tiger released Rai and attacked and killed Tiwari.

"I saw it all; the tiger turned and jumped on the other young man and put its head on the man's neck and within moments the man was apparently dead, his head dangling," Banerjee said.

About 1,000 people witnessed the attack. They threw stones at the tiger who left Tiwari's body and returned to an iron enclosure. A zookeeper locked him inside.

Rai was in stable condition in a hospital with cuts and torn muscles.