An escaped pet lion chased a woman and two children down a busy street in Lahore, police said, with dramatic footage showing the big cat leaping a wall before pouncing on them.
CCTV footage released by the police showed the lion jumping the barrier around its home and pursuing a woman carrying her shopping on Thursday night.
The lion jumped on her back, knocking her to the ground, the footage showed.
A police report quoted the father as saying the lion then turned to his five-year-old and seven-year-old children, and clawed their arms and faces.
All three were taken to hospital but were not in a critical condition.
The owners who ran out of the house were “amused to see their lion attack” the passers-by, the father added in the report.
Police said on Friday that they had arrested three men.
“The suspects fled from the spot, taking the lion with them. They were arrested within 12 hours of the incident,” the office of the Deputy Inspector-General Operations in Lahore said.
The lion, an 11-month-old male, has been confiscated by police and sent to a wildlife park.
Officials at the facility said that the animal appears to be in good health.
Keeping exotic animals, especially big cats, as pets has long been seen as a sign of privilege and power in Punjab, the most populous province of the country.
In December 2024, an adult lion escaped from its enclosure in another neighbourhood of Lahore, terrorising residents before being shot dead. — AFP
