VIDEO: Escaped lion attacks woman, children in Pakistan's Lahore city, owner arrested

An escaped pet lion chased a woman and two children down a busy street in Pakistan's Lahore, police said on Friday, with dramatic footage showing the big cat leaping a wall before pouncing on them.

CCTV footage released by the police showed the lion jumping the barrier around its home and pursuing a woman carrying her shopping on Thursday night.

The lion jumped on her back, knocking her to the ground, the footage showed.

A police report quoted the father as saying the lion then turned to his five-year-old and seven-year-old children, and clawed their arms and faces.

All three were taken to hospital but were not in a critical condition.

The owners who ran out of the house were "amused to see their lion attack" the passersby, the father added in the report.

Police said on Friday they had arrested three men.

"The suspects fled from the spot, taking the lion with them. They were arrested within 12 hours of the incident," the office of the Deputy Inspector General Operations in Lahore told AFP.

The lion, an 11-month-old male, has been confiscated by police and sent to a wildlife park.

Officials at the facility said that the animal appears to be in good health.

Lahore Deputy Chief Wildlife Officer Adnan Work confirmed that the individual had not obtained the required permit and had failed to meet safety regulations.

“Keeping wild animals in residential areas poses serious risks and strict action will be taken against such individuals,” he said.

The Wildlife Department has filed a case under the Punjab Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management) Act. Officials said unauthorised possession of dangerous wild animals is a non-bailable offence, carrying a penalty of up to seven years in prison and a fine of Rs5 million.

Senior Minister for Information and Environment Maryam Aurangzeb condemned the incident and announced a province-wide crackdown on illegal private ownership of exotic animals.

“We cannot allow anyone to jeopardise human lives. Enforcement of wildlife laws is a core part of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s environmental protection agenda, and no leniency will be shown,” she said in a statement.

Authorities have urged the public to report illegal possession of lions, tigers, or other exotic wildlife by calling the Wildlife Helpline at 1107.

Keeping exotic animals, especially big cats, as pets has long been seen as a sign of privilege and power in Punjab, the most populous province of the country.

In December 2024, an adult lion escaped from its enclosure in another neighbourhood of Lahore, terrorising residents before being shot dead by a security guard.

The incident prompted the provincial government to pass new laws regulating the sale, purchase, breeding and ownership of big cats.

The law now requires owners to obtain licenses for the animals which are barred from being kept in residential areas.
Breeders have to pay a hefty fee for registration, while farms have to be a minimum of 10 acres in size.

Agence France-Presse