Owners of pet lion arrested after it jumped a wall and attacked a woman and two children in Pakistan
The woman and her two young children, aged 5 and 7, were taken to hospital, after being attacked in an alleyway when the lion escaped from a farmhouse in the neighborhood of Johan town on Thursday.
Security camera footage released by police showed the lion leaping over a concrete wall and pouncing on a woman from behind, knocking her to the ground. A man can be seen running out of the property the lion escaped from with an object in hand and chasing the lion away from the woman, before the wild cat takes off further down the road where the children were attacked.
They sustained injuries to their faces and arms but are now in stable condition, according to the Associated Press news agency.
Lahore police said in a video posted to social media that the lion had escaped from an open cage at the farmhouse and that it was recaptured by the owners, who promptly put it in a vehicle and went into hiding in another district.
Muhammad Faisal Kamran, Deputy Inspector General of Lahore Police Operations, said three people were arrested on Friday morning. 'We've also captured the lion and transferred it to Wildlife authorities,' Kamran said.
Lahore police shared an image of three men in a police cell and video of the lion in a cage.
Local media reported that the owner did not have a license to keep the lion and would be prosecuted under the Wildlife Act, meaning they could face a maximum prison term of seven years or a fine equating to $17,500. CNN has sought confirmation from the Punjab Wildlife and Parks department.
Owning wild cats as pets is seen as a status symbol in Pakistan and is not uncommon, but a license is required, and large cats must be kept outside city limits.
'This unfortunate incident highlights how wild animals are often kept in such places without a license, or permission — with no legal procedures followed — endangering the lives of many people,' Kamran said.
The Punjab government announced Sunday that it was undertaking a province-wide crackdown on those keeping lions without a license. So far, 13 lions have been captured and five individuals arrested in connection with violating wildlife regulations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
3 hours ago
- CBS News
Suspect at large following sexual assault in Queens apartment building, NYPD says
A young woman is recovering following a terrifying attack in her Queens apartment on Saturday. Police say a man sexually assaulted her before taking her bed sheets and fleeing. Residents in the building on 94th Avenue in Jamaica now have their guard up as the NYPD searches for the suspect. Police said the 23-year-old victim woke up to terror at around 4:30 a.m. on Saturday. An unknown man had somehow gotten into her apartment and then raped her. She was taken to Queens Hospital and is listed in stable condition. Detectives say the man attacked the victim despite the building having security. Police sources say before he fled, he took the woman's bed sheets. Police are working on the suspect's description. "So where was the doorman? How did he get in, especially at that time?" one resident said. Those are questions police have not yet answered. The attack has left many of the building's residents stunned and with more questions than answers. "I can't believe this. I can't. In my building. I'm in shock right now. I really am," Diana Henderson said. "That's terrible. That's terrible. I'm disgusted," resident Ally Adams said. "I don't know why somebody would do that," resident Tony Italiano said. "I hope they catch him." Some said the building needs more surveillance cameras. "As you can see, it only covers the entrance of our building, you know? And there's cameras on the floor. But I don't think that that was enough because he's still out here," Adams said. Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
CBS News
3 hours ago
- CBS News
Twin Cities see drops in violent crime, but perception remains an issue
While the summer months traditionally bring a rise in crime, this year, both Minneapolis and St Paul are continuing to see significant drops in violent crime. St. Paul has shown a decrease in homicides, assaults and shots fired, and so too has Minneapolis. Murders, assaults and shots fired are all down, and so are other categories in both cities; car thefts and burglaries are also down. "I don't think that it's any one thing that we are doing," Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said. "It's a number of strategies that have been working in partnership with a lot of different law enforcement agencies as well as community-based organizations. And I think some of the most significant statistics are the fact that the number of shooting victims year to date is actually below what it was at this point in 2019." For many people, the fear of crime still looms, and for those victimized, there is no solace that others perhaps are being spared. Each incident brings with it lasting fear and pain to those victimized. "I think for a lot of people coming from out of state and other parts of the state come into downtown or come into other parts of the city and see people who are either homeless or suffering from addiction on the street. And I think that gives the perception that it is dangerous when in fact those folks are not," O'Hara said. Minneapolis police are also continuing to recover from the loss of hundreds of officers after the murder of George Floyd. In the summer of 2024, the city gave officers a raise of 22% over the next three years. That has helped with recruitment and retention, with starting officers earning $65,000 a year and the average salary now over $90,000. Last month, for the first time since 2023, the Minneapolis police force topped more than 600 officers. You can watch WCCO Sunday Morning with Esme Murphy and Adam Del Rosso every Sunday at 6 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
$9,800 fine warning after Aussie driver gets bogged in bushland
Authorities have once again issued a stern warning to Aussies after a man hauling a trailer allegedly filled with illegally felled firewood became bogged in a wildlife reserve. The man was driving a rented 4WD at about 5am on Thursday when he got stuck in mud near Reedy Lake in Victoria's Nagambie Wildlife Reserve, the state's Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action (DEECA) said. Inside a tandem trailer, officers allege they discovered a load of recently cut Red River Gum timber, and another "freshly felled" tree nearby. The trailer and its contents, along with two chainsaws, were confiscated. While it is Illegal to cut up trees from national parks for firewood, numerous states have reported an annual spike in offences during the winter months, prompting officers to ramp up patrols. In Victoria, Taskforce Ironbark, a state-wide initiative led by the Conservation Regulator in partnership with Parks Victoria, has been established to crack down on commercial firewood thieves taking wood from public land. Offenders caught in the act face steep fines between $814 and $9,879. Victorians can legally collect free firewood for personal use from designated collection areas in state forests during the autumn and spring firewood collection seasons. Rules apply around where, when, what and how much wood can be collected. The latest incident comes after another man was intercepted twice in one day by authorities near Reedy Lake on July 2. During a targeted patrol, the man was allegedly caught in the act of cutting up a recently felled River Red Gum tree on the dry lakebed, according to DEECA. Despite being issued a series of infringement notices, the same man was allegedly seen returning to the area that night, prompting officers to seize his trailer, the timber and a chainsaw. "We are working with Parks Victoria and Victoria Police to disrupt illegal firewood harvesting across Victoria and prevent further damage to this ecologically and culturally significant area," Greg Chant with the Conservation Regulator said. "The message to black market firewood operators is that if you're caught illegally harvesting timber from public land for commercial sale, you will be held accountable for the environmental damage, and risk facing prosecution and losing your vehicles and equipment." A couple of weeks ago, two more Victorians were allegedly caught by police "loading freshly cut and split timber" into a tandem trailer in a pre-dawn sting at the Wandong Regional Park. Protected Red River Gums are vital for the environment Red River Gums — alive or dead — are vital to the environment and are protected by law, making it illegal for them to be chopped down. The trees provide critical roosting habitat for local threatened species, DEECA said. Authorities have reminded people that logs, branches and leaf litter aren't waste; they serve as critical habitats and nutrients. Removing them clears away vital shelter and breeding grounds, damages soil health, and impedes natural decomposition, undermining ecosystem function. For live trees, removing vegetation destroys habitat, disturbs native species, and fractures the interconnected web of forest life. 💰 Aussies warned over fines up to $5,500 for illegal bush act 🪓 Warned over $137,850 fines after illegal national park trend 🌳 Incredible discovery at beloved Aussie national park after tragedy Illegal felling of trees 'often undertaken by black market operators' Taskforce Ironbark Manager Brady Childs previously told Yahoo News the "systematic illegal felling of trees for firewood" is often undertaken by black market operators "with full knowledge that the activities are illegal". "The Conservation Regulator's intelligence sources, including community reports, confirm firewood theft occurs all year round, with a significant spike in activity leading into and during winter," he said. Childs said the taskforce targets firewood theft hotspots, working with other regulators both within Victoria and interstate. Officers can issue on-the-spot fines exceeding $814 for breaches of firewood collection rules. More serious offences can attract penalties of up to $9,879 and 12 months' imprisonment. The issue is occurring all around the country, prompting both Queensland and New South Wales to issue alerts last month. The Queensland government warned residents against committing the illegal act after a ute driver was allegedly caught on camera filling up his tray with logs. The Hunter Local Land Services, a division of the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has warned significant fines are in place for anyone caught "removing timber or disturbing vegetation" on the state's Travelling Stock Reserves (TSRs) network. TSRs are sections of publicly owned land in NSW that were originally set aside to allow farmers to move their livestock, such as sheep or cattle, across the countryside. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
