LAHORE: In a shocking incident on Saturday, an eight-year-old boy lost his arm after being attacked by a lion at a private breeding farm in Lahore’s Sabzazar area. The attack raises serious concerns about safety and negligence in facilities keeping wild animals in residential neighborhoods.
The boy, identified as Wajid Ali, was reportedly playing near the lion’s enclosure at Dola Breeding Farm on 80-Feet Road when the lion attacked him. He was immediately rushed to a local hospital, where doctors had to amputate his arm to save his life. Initially, the farm owners, Umar Iqbal and Ali Iqbal, misled doctors by claiming the injury was caused by a machine accident. Wajid Ali was later transferred to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for further treatment and legal procedures.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Lahore, Faisal Kamran, confirmed that the owners tried to hide the incident but were caught. Legal action has been initiated, and police are investigating the case under strict supervision. SP Dr. Umar of Iqbal Town is leading the probe. Preliminary findings indicate that the lion’s enclosure was inadequate and the attack resulted from the owners’ negligence. The owners have since been arrested.
Punjab’s Chief Wildlife Ranger, Mubeen Elahi, has requested a detailed report and directed immediate action to prevent similar incidents. Authorities highlighted that keeping big cats in urban areas without proper licensing is illegal, with penalties including fines up to Rs5 million and up to seven years in prison.
This is not the first incident in Lahore. Recently, a lioness attacked a young girl in the Nawan Kot area. Authorities seized 11 lions from a local facility following that incident, including males, females, and cubs. The Punjab government is now reviewing policies on privately keeping big cats, while a re-inspection drive has been launched to ensure the safety of both humans and animals.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for stricter enforcement of wildlife laws and safer practices for handling dangerous animals in private facilities.
