Caretaker acquitted in lioness abuse case

LAHORE: A court has discharged a caretaker arrested in a case linked to the alleged abuse of a pet lioness after the accusations listed in the first information report could not be established.

Punjab Wildlife Rangers had taken action after an old video resurfaced on social media and drew attention again. The case was registered on Saturday at City Police Station under provisions of the Punjab Wildlife Protection Act.

Officials said a video had gone viral on social media on May 8 showing a man hitting and intimidating a lioness with a stick, an act they described as punishable under the Punjab Wildlife Act 2025. Following the circulation of the clip, authorities began searching for the person seen in the footage and traced Muhammad Hasnain, identified as a resident of Bahawalpur who is currently living on Sardar Alam Khan Road.

He was subsequently arrested and his mobile phone was taken into custody. Officials also said the suspect acknowledged the video after watching it.

However, when the accused was presented before the court, it emerged that he had neither recorded nor shared the video and was not directly beating the lioness. The judge then discharged him from the case after finding that the allegations in the FIR could not be substantiated.

Old video resurfaced online

Police sources said the Wildlife Rangers had proceeded against the caretaker after an old video began circulating online again. In that clip, the caretaker could allegedly be seen holding a stick while feeding a lioness at a farmhouse on Adiala Road and striking the ground in order to control the animal.

The video had originally been uploaded on social media several years ago before recently going viral again.

The case drew attention because the arrest was made after the reappearance of older footage, but the court proceedings focused on whether the allegations made in the FIR could be supported. After reviewing the matter, the court ordered the caretaker’s discharge.