LAHORE – The horrific lion attack that took the life of a 19-year-old farmhouse worker raised concerns, and police arrested three suspects and uncovered an expired wildlife breeding licence.
Investigators revealed that the teenager’s family was allegedly misled into believing their son had died from a dog attack. The shocking incident occurred on November 11, 2026, at a privately operated farmhouse in Lahore’s Kahna area, where 19-year-old Talha was reportedly working as an employee and caretaker.
TikToker Nauman visited the farmhouse to record social media videos featuring Pet Lions. During the visit, a lioness reportedly became aggressive and suddenly attacked Talha, causing serious injuries. The teenager suffered severe wounds, reportedly to his neck, face and arms. He was immediately shifted to a private hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries despite efforts to save his life.
The incident sparked a police investigation that subsequently uncovered several troubling details about the farmhouse and its operations.
DIG Operations Lahore Faisal Kamran said police confiscated 33 lions from the farmhouse during an expanded operation. Three suspects were also arrested in connection with the case. Among those taken into custody were the farmhouse owner, identified as Fayyaz alias Faizi, and TikToker Nauman, whose visit reportedly preceded the deadly attack.
The third arrested individual’s identity has not been disclosed in the available reports. Police further revealed that Nauman had allegedly kept two of his own lions at the same facility. The discovery raised fresh questions about the ownership of animals housed at the property, their legal documentation and the safety arrangements maintained by the farmhouse management.
The investigation took another significant turn when authorities examined the legal status of the farmhouse. According to DIG Faisal Kamran, the property owner had obtained a breeding licence from the Punjab Wildlife Department, allowing him to operate a wildlife breeding facility.
However, the licence reportedly expired in 2025, nearly a year before the fatal incident. The disclosure has brought the farmhouse’s continued operation under scrutiny and raised concerns about whether the facility was legally authorised to keep such a large number of dangerous animals.
Investigators are examining whether wildlife regulations were violated and whether appropriate safety precautions existed to protect workers and visitors from potentially fatal encounters. Although police confirmed reported recovery of 33 lions, a complete official inventory detailing the animals’ condition, ownership and subsequent relocation has not yet been publicly established.
Police also revealed alleged effort to hide the actual circumstances surrounding Talha’s death. DIG Faisal Kamran said the teenager’s parents were initially informed that their son had been attacked by a dog.
According to the senior police official, the family was unaware of the alleged involvement of a lioness and was initially unwilling to pursue legal proceedings against the suspects. However, investigators later uncovered evidence indicating that Talha had suffered fatal injuries during the lioness attack.
Kahna tragedy comes months after another lioness attack in Lahore raised concerns about the private possession of dangerous wildlife. In January 2026, a young girl was injured in a separate lioness attack, prompting authorities to conduct an operation in the city’s Nawan Kot area.
Lion kills 19-year-old during TikTok Video filming at Lahore Farmhouse
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