Watch: Pet lion escapes in Lahore, knocks down woman, injures children

In a bizarre incident, a pet lion escaped the confines of a house and attacked three people, including two children, on a busy street in Pakistan's Lahore. The viral video of the incident shows the animal scaling a tall wall of a compound and scamperingaway. It approached a woman from behind and knocked her down.

The animal later attacked and injured two children. The father of the children, aged five and seven, wrote in the police complaint that the animal clawed their arms and faces. All three were taken to a hospital. However, none sustained critical injuries.

The father added that the owners of the animal, who ran out of the house, appeared "amused to see their lion attack."

The Lahore police have arrested three men.

A senior official in Lahore said the suspects fled the spot and took the lion away with them. They were, however, arrested within 12 hours of the incident.

The animal, an 11-year-old male, was confiscated by police and sent to a wildlife park. The animal was in good health.

Culture of keeping big cats as pets

In Pakistan's Punjab province, keeping exotic animals, especially dangerous ones, is seen as a measure of privilege and power.

This was not an isolated incident.

In December last year, an adult lion fled its enclosure in Lahore. It was shot dead by a security guard after it jeopardized the safety of residents.

The incident prompted the provincial government to pass new laws regulating the sale, purchase, breeding, and ownership of big cats.

The new laws have barred owners from keeping them in residential areas. The law also requires them to obtain licenses.