LAHORE: A 19-year-old farm worker was killed after being attacked by a lioness at a private farmhouse in Lahore’s Kahna area, prompting police to arrest the farmhouse owner and a TikToker in connection with the incident.
According to police and wildlife officials, the incident took place on Wednesday, when the lioness attacked the farmhouse caretaker, identified as Talha, leaving him critically injured. He was immediately shifted to a private hospital for medical treatment but succumbed to his injuries.
DIG Operations spokesperson Faisal Kamran said Kahna police had arrested the farmhouse owner, identified as Fayyaz alias Faizi, along with a TikToker named Nauman. The lioness involved in the attack was also taken into custody from the farmhouse and handed over to wildlife authorities.
According to the police spokesperson, Nauman had visited the farmhouse to record a TikTok video when the lioness became uncontrollable and attacked Talha. The young worker sustained serious injuries and later died at the hospital.
Officials said there were alleged attempts to conceal the actual circumstances of the incident by portraying the attack as an incident involving a dog. However, an examination of the suspicious circumstances revealed that the victim had been attacked by a lioness.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Wildlife Department has taken notice of the incident and initiated legal proceedings. Police said the victim’s body had been shifted to a mortuary for a post-mortem examination, while the registration of a case and further legal proceedings were underway.
Authorities have also launched an investigation into the licence for keeping the lioness at the farmhouse, the safety arrangements in place and any possible negligence that may have contributed to the incident.
DIG Operations Faisal Kamran said that the pursuit of TikTok videos could never be more important than a human life. He added that all aspects of the alleged attempt to conceal the facts and any negligence would be thoroughly investigated.
He further stressed that no one would be allowed to put human lives at risk in the name of entertainment or social media activities.
