Police have arrested a farmhouse owner and a TikToker after a lioness killed a 19-year-old caretaker at a private farmhouse in the Kahna area in Lahore, officials said. The victim, Talha, was attacked on Wednesday while the TikToker, identified as Nauman, was at the property to film a video.
According to Faisal Kamran, spokesperson for the DIG Operations, the lioness got out of control during the shoot and mauled Talha. He was rushed to a private hospital but died of his injuries. His body was moved to a morgue for a post-mortem examination.
Kahna police arrested Nauman and the farmhouse owner, Fayyaz, alias Faizi. A case has been registered against the owners of the breeding farm, and the lioness has been handed over to Punjab Wildlife.
Police said an attempt was made to pass off the mauling as a dog attack. The claim fell apart when officers examined the suspicious circumstances and established that a lioness was responsible.
Punjab Wildlife began legal proceedings after being informed of the incident. Investigators are now checking whether the owners held a permit to keep the animal, what safety measures were in place, and whether negligence contributed to the death.
The DIG Operations said that a passion for TikTok cannot outweigh a human life. He said the cover-up attempt and all aspects of negligence would be investigated, and that endangering lives in the name of hobby or entertainment would not be permitted.
