Footage of sick televangelist punching frightened kangaroo in zoo sparks public outrage
A video of a Turking televangelist taunting a caged kangaroo has emerged, which shows the self-styled prophet throwing punches at the frightened animal, as it tries to dodge the man's blows.
The man, identified as Tuncer Ciftci, can be seen lunging at the animal at a zoo in Turkey in the footage, which was posted on social media.
The clip, which is believed to have been captured on July 28, also shows Ciftchi grabbing the top of the fence and trying to headbutt the animal as the person filming the clip can be heard laughing in the background.
The kangaroo, in the clip, however, tries to stand his ground and swiftly dodges all the blows directed at him by ducking his head.
The self-styled prophet is popular in the country and calls himself the Mahdi. Several Muslims believed that the Mahdi is the redeemer of Islam and will rid all the world from evil before the Day of Judgement, according to the Daily Mail.
Shortly after the video of him taunting the kangaroo was posted online, several outraged Twitter users slammed the televangelist, while some called him an "animal."
"I congratulate Mr Kangaroo for its restraint against such an abusive animal," a social media user Onur Ugur said.
While another user added: "The fact that the kangaroo looks smarter is causing me to question humanity."
"It seems the kangaroo was initially appalled. Then it decided the man was just a lunatic, so it didn't hit back," a Twitter user Can Can Gürses said.
Reports state that Ciftci, earlier, had also been in controversy for urging his followers to dive into a pool beneath a waterfall to prove that they loved him.
A clip of the incident shows him saying: "Those who love me most will go under the waterfall."