A man was arrested on Friday in Lahore’s Shah Di Khui area for illegally keeping a lion without a license, after the animal escaped and attacked a family, injuring three people including two children. The Wildlife Department has since seized the lion and relocated it to a sanctuary.
The incident occurred at a farmhouse in Johar Town where the lion, kept in an unsecured enclosure, leapt over a wall and attacked residents on a nearby street before fleeing. The injured victims were rushed to Jinnah Hospital for medical treatment.
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Authorities have registered an FIR against the accused, Malik Bahram, under sections of the Wildlife Act and attempted murder. The Wildlife Department stressed that keeping a lion without a license is a non-bailable offense, punishable by up to seven years in prison and a fine of Rs 5 million.
The department urged citizens to immediately report the presence of lions or any other illegal wild animals by calling the Wildlife Helpline at 1107. Officials reiterated the risks associated with keeping exotic animals in residential areas.
This comes just days after YouTuber Rajab Butt was arrested for similar offenses, including possessing a lion cub without a license and publicly displaying firearms. The Punjab police and Wildlife Department conducted a joint raid at his residence in the Chuhng area, seizing the cub gifted to him during his wedding.
