LAHORE: Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) after a lion kept at a private farmhouse in Lahore’s Johar Town attacked three people, including two children. The case was filed on behalf of the father of 5-year-old Azhaan, who was critically injured in the incident.
According to police and wildlife officials, the lion had been illegally kept by Malik Azam and his son Behram at a farmhouse located in the Shah Di Khoi area. Around 9:15 PM, the lion reportedly jumped over the boundary wall and entered the street, where it attacked 5-year-old Azhaan. As residents raised an alarm, the lion also mauled 7-year-old Zoha and 30-year-old Samina.
The FIR states that both Malik Azam (alias Shani) and Malik Nazim were present at the time of the attack but did nothing to protect the victims. After the incident, the lion jumped back into the farmhouse on its own, and both men fled the scene with the animal.
Police registered the FIR at 1:30 AM—over four hours after the incident—and have yet to arrest any of the accused. The lion has also not been recovered by the Punjab Wildlife Department.
The case includes serious charges such as attempted murder, negligence in handling a dangerous animal, and violations of the Punjab Wildlife Act. Wildlife authorities confirmed that the lion was being kept without a license and in violation of safety regulations.
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According to Punjab Wildlife Department officials, under the new regulations, keeping a lion without a valid license, an appropriately sized cage, and adherence to other safety protocols is a non-bailable offense, punishable by up to seven years in prison and a fine of Rs5 million.
Citizens are urged to report illegal possession of wild animals by calling the Punjab Wildlife helpline at 1107.
