Aurangabad (Maharashtra), July 24 - A white tigress roamed free for three hours in the Aurangabad zoo Friday morning when she escaped from her enclosure after a wall collapsed due to heavy rain.

The six-year-old tigress was seen roaming around in the 18-acre zoo premises by surprised officials who came for morning duty, said Siddharth Garden & Zoo Superintendent J.M. Bhadke.

According to Bhadke, the stormy weather since Thursday night in the city, about 350 km from state capital Mumbai, led to the collapse of the supporting wall of the enclosure.

'But she could not escape into the city as there is a wide nullah (drain) behind the wall. She was roaming around confused when our staff noticed her,' Bhadke told IANS.

A team was immediately organised and she was nabbed after a three-hour effort and put in another enclosure.

Aurangabad Police Commissioner K.L. Bishnoi said the tigress had been safely captured and there was no cause for panic.

The star attraction of the zoo are its eight white cats, three Royal Bengal tigers and a dozen leopards.