Illegally kept pet lion attacks woman, three children in Lahore

A woman and three children suffered injuries when a pet lion attacked them on the road in a residential colony in Lahore city of Pakistan, police said on Friday.

The owner of the lion was booked under relevant Acts and arrested.

The injured woman and two children are reportedly stable while the condition of the third child is critical, police said.

The unattended pet lion left its cage in a house in Jauhar Town area of the city on Thursday. "The CCTV footage showed the lion jumping off the wall and the barrier around the house," a Lahore police spokesperson said.

The lion leapt on the woman, attacked her from behind knocking her to the ground.

Later, the big cat turned to three minor children present there and used its claws and teeth to inflict injuries, leaving them screaming in fear and pain.

The wildlife personnel and police reached the spot soon, overpowered the lion and later relocated it to a secure facility.

Father of two of the three injured children told police that the owner of the lion had also reached the spot but did not intervene. "Rather, he appeared to be enjoying the spectacle," he alleged.

Lahore police registered a case against the lion's owner under criminal charges, including attempted murder and violations of the Punjab Wildlife Act and arrested him.

The police said that the lion was being kept without a valid license or appropriate safety measures. "Under the new wildlife laws, offenders can face up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to PKR 5 million," police said.

The injured woman and children are being treated at Jinnah Hospital Lahore, police added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)