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Pakistan: How a lioness's escape from auto rickshaw led police to illegally kept 11 more big cats
The lioness was being transported in an auto rickshaw by its owner when it broke free and jumped out.
A lioness's escape from an auto rickshaw in Pakistan's Punjab reportedly led the police to eleven more big cats from the possession of its owner. The unusual incident came to light when a pet lioness was being transported in an auto rickshaw by its owner from one place to another.
As the lioness got disturbed, it broke free and jumped out of the auto rickshaw, news agency PTI reported, citing Lahore police officials. The lioness attacked an eight-year-old girl, injuring her seriously. However, the owner of the lioness controlled it and saved other people from its attack, the police said, per the report.
The girl was shifted to Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, and her condition is stated to be out of danger.
Following the incident, the owner of the lioness and two of his accomplices were arrested. The probe led police to 11 more big cats from the owner's possession.
"Police have also recovered 11 more illegally kept lions from their possession," police said and added the big cats include five lionesses, three lions and three cubs.
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The lions were being kept at a factory here and had been shifted to Lahore from Sheikhupura a few months ago.
"The suspects do not possess a valid license to keep lions in Lahore. A case has been registered against the suspects for their involvement in the illegal trade of dangerous animals. The lions have been handed over to the Punjab Wildlife Department," police said.
A similar freak incident was reported in July last year from Pakistan where a pet lion escaped its owner and attacked a woman and her two young children in Lahore. The CCTV footage of the incident was shared on social media that showed the lion jumping over a concrete wall and chasing a woman who was accompanied by her two children, aged five and seven. The trio sustained injuries to their arms and faces, but survived the attack, according to reports.
Having big cats as pets is seen as a status symbol in Pakistan and it is legal to have lions, cheetahs, tigers, pumas and jaguars as pets with a one-time fee of PKR 50,000.
