A 19-year-old man has died after being attacked by a tiger during a TikTok video shoot at a wildlife breeding farm in Lahore, Pakistan, prompting police to arrest the farm owner and a social media influencer.
The victim, identified as Talha, was filming content at the facility in Kahna on Wednesday when a female tiger, reportedly released from its cage for the shoot, attacked him.
Talha, who worked at the farm, was rushed to hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries, according to a report by The Sun on Thursday.
His father and brother, Hashim, who also worked at the facility, reportedly witnessed the incident.
Following the attack, police arrested the farm owner, identified as Fayyaz, and social media content creator Norman Hassan, who allegedly requested that the tiger be released from its cage for the video.
Police investigations reportedly established that Talha’s injuries were caused by the tigress, contradicting an initial claim allegedly made by Hassan that the victim had been attacked by a dog.
The animal has since been transferred to the Wildlife Department as authorities investigate whether the breeding facility had the necessary licences to keep the tiger.
Reacting to the incident, police condemned the decision to expose human lives to danger for social media entertainment.
“A passion for TikTok cannot be more important than a human life,” the police said.
They added: “No one can be allowed to put human life at risk in the name of hobby or entertainment.
“The attempt to hide the facts and every aspect of negligence will be investigated.”
Confirming the arrests, Lahore police stated: “Kahna police have arrested the farm owner and the TikToker.”
The incident has raised concerns about safety practices at wildlife facilities and the risks associated with using dangerous animals in social media content production.
