Lion owner arrested in Pakistan after attack on women and children

Lion owner arrested in Pakistan after attack on women and children

The owners of a lion who jumped over a wall in the Pakistani city of Lahore and attacked a woman and two children were arrested.

attack on women and children

The woman and her two small children aged 5 and 7 were taken to the hospital after they were attacked in a alley on Thursday when the lion escaped from a farmhouse in the Johan district. Security cameras have recorded the incident and show how the lion jumps over a concrete wall and attacks the woman from behind, causing it to fall to the ground. A man runs out of the property from which the lion escaped and tries to hold the animal with an object from the woman before the lion continues to run down the street where the children were attacked.

condition of the injured

The children suffered injuries to the face and the arms, but according to the Associated Press news agency are in stable condition.

arrest and return of the lion

The Lahore police published in a video on social media that the lion had escaped from an open cage in the farmhouse. The owners would have collected the animal, loaded it into a vehicle and then hid in another district. Muhammad Faisal Kamran, deputy inspector of the Lahore Police Operations, said that three people were arrested on Friday morning. "We also caught the lion and handed over to the responsible wild animal authorities," said Kamran.

legal situation and consequences

The Lahore police shared a picture of three men in a police cell and a video of the lion in a cage. According to local media, the authorities reported that the owner did not have a license for the lion's attitude and was charged with violation of the Wild animal law, which could result in a maximum penalty of seven years in prison or a fine of around $ 17,500. CNN asked the Punjab Wildlife and Parks Department for confirmation.

keeping of wild animals in Pakistan

keeping wildcats as pets is a status symbol in Pakistan and is not unusual, but a license is required and large cats must be kept outside the city limits. "This unfortunate incident shows how often wild animals are kept in such places without license or approval - and without compliance with legal proceedings - what endangers the lives of many people," said Kamran.

measures of the government

The government of Punjab announced on Sunday that they would take nationwide measures against people who hold lions without a license. So far, 13 lions have been trapped and five people who violated the provisions to protect the wild animals.