A social media stunt involving a dangerous wild animal turned deadly when a 19-year-old farm worker was attacked in front of his family, setting off a police investigation that uncovered an alleged attempt to hide what really happened.
The tragedy unfolded Wednesday, November 11, at a private wildlife breeding farm near Lahore, Pakistan, where social media influencer Nouman Hassan had reportedly arrived to film content featuring a big cat.
According to investigators, Hassan wanted the animal brought out of its enclosure for a video and allegedly invited the young employee, identified as Talha, to participate.
But the filming session took a horrifying turn when the animal suddenly attacked Talha, leaving him critically injured.
The teenager’s father and brother, who also worked at the property, reportedly witnessed the attack.
Talha was rushed to a private hospital, where doctors were unable to save his life.
What happened next raised even more troubling questions.
Police say someone initially attempted to disguise the fatal attack as a dog attack, concealing the involvement of the dangerous predator. Investigators eventually uncovered the true circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death.
Authorities arrested Hassan and the farm’s owner, identified as Fayyaz, on Thursday. Both are now under investigation in connection with the incident.
The animal was seized and transferred to wildlife officials, while investigators began examining whether the farm had the proper permits to keep it and whether adequate safety precautions were in place.
Police are also looking into potential negligence and who was responsible for allegedly misleading authorities after the attack.
Lahore police official Faisal Kamran condemned the incident, warning that the pursuit of social media attention must never come at the expense of human life.
The case has also renewed concerns about the private ownership of dangerous wild animals in Pakistan, where big cats have become popular attractions among some wealthy collectors and social media personalities.
For Talha’s family, what was supposed to be another day at work ended in an unimaginable loss, all during an attempt to create a video for social media.
The investigation remains ongoing.