Authorities in Lahore, Pakistan, have arrested three individuals after their pet lion escaped from a farmhouse and attacked a woman and two children in the city’s Johar Town neighborhood.
The lion reportedly leaped over a concrete wall and mauled the victims in an alleyway on Thursday.
Security camera footage released by police captured the moment the animal pounced on the woman from behind, knocking her to the ground, before charging further down the road and injuring the children, aged 5 and 7.
The victims, who are not related, sustained injuries to their faces and arms but are now in stable condition, according to the Associated Press.
Lahore police said in a social media post that the lion had escaped from an open cage at the farmhouse and was recaptured by the owners, who then attempted to flee the area with the animal. They were later located and arrested.
Muhammad Faisal Kamran, Deputy Inspector General of Lahore Police Operations, confirmed the arrests on Friday and stated that the lion has been handed over to the Punjab Wildlife Department.
Police also released a video of the lion in a cage and a photograph showing the suspects in custody.
Officials revealed the owners did not have a license to keep the wild animal, a legal requirement in Pakistan.
Under the country’s Wildlife Act, they could face up to seven years in prison or a fine of $17,500.
Syed Kamran Bukhari, Chief Ranger at Punjab’s Wildlife and Parks Department, described the lion’s captivity as “completely illegal” and said the department was pursuing the “toughest punishment” possible.
While keeping exotic pets such as lions is a status symbol in parts of Pakistan, regulations require that such animals be licensed and kept outside city limits.
“This unfortunate incident highlights how wild animals are often kept in urban areas without authorization or regard for public safety,” said DIG Kamran.
In response to the incident, the Punjab government has launched a province-wide crackdown on illegal wildlife ownership.
So far, 18 lions have been confiscated and five people arrested for breaching wildlife laws.
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