Pet lioness attack leaves minor girl injured in Lahore
LAHORE: A pet lioness attack in Lahore left an eight-year-old girl injured on Thursday after the wild animal escaped while being illegally kept at a residence in the Bhekewal Pind area, police said.
The victim, identified as Rabia, sustained injuries to her leg and ear and was rushed to Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex (SZMC) for treatment. Hospital officials confirmed that the child is out of danger and receiving medical care.
Following the incident, police and teams from the Punjab Wildlife Department arrived at the scene and took the lioness into custody. Acting on the directives of DIG Operations Faisal Kamran, law enforcement officials also arrested the animal’s owners.
Police said preliminary investigations revealed that a local resident had illegally kept the lioness without a valid wildlife licence, in clear violation of the Punjab Wildlife Act. Further inquiry showed that the animal had been transported from Akbari Mandi in a rickshaw by two individuals identified as Bilawal and Shujaat.
According to police, three men were unloading the lioness when it suddenly broke free and attacked the child. A case is being registered against three accused, including Azam Khokhar, under relevant sections of the law.
Rabia’s mother told police that her daughter had gone to her grandmother’s house to fetch water when she was attacked outside the home. The sudden incident caused panic in the area, prompting residents to alert authorities.
Officials from the Punjab Wildlife Department reiterated that strict legal action would be taken against anyone found illegally keeping wild animals, stressing that such practices pose a serious threat to public safety.
The incident comes amid growing concern over illegal ownership of exotic animals in Punjab. Last year, a man was arrested in Lahore’s Shah Di Khui area after a pet lion attacked a family, injuring three people, including two children. In that case, the lion was confiscated and moved to a wildlife sanctuary, while the owner was booked under the Wildlife Act and attempted murder charges, ARY News reported.
That earlier incident occurred at a farmhouse in Johar Town, where the lion escaped due to an unsecured enclosure, jumped a wall, entered a nearby street and attacked residents before fleeing. The injured were shifted to Jinnah Hospital for treatment.
Authorities have urged citizens to immediately report any illegal possession of wild animals, warning that enforcement operations will be intensified across the province to prevent further such incidents.
