Khaberni - Residents of a province in Thailand lived in a state of terror after a lion, owned by a famous influencer on the "TikTok" platform, escaped from its cage, and attacked an 11-year-old boy and a man who tried to intervene to rescue him, leading to injuries that required their hospitalization.
The incident occurred in the province of Kanchanaburi in the center of the country, when the child, "Artit Nuanjan," was on his way home after playing with his friends on Saturday evening, before the lion suddenly jumped towards him and attacked, causing him injuries in the hip, chest, and arm.
When a 43-year-old man, named Sarawut Tokaiyu, attempted to help, he also sustained injuries in his leg.
Social media users shared a video clip showing the one-year-old lion running in the street while residents fled in terror, and screams intensified in the background.
The locals rushed to the home of the lion's owner, Thai content creator Barinya Parkboom, demanding him to control the animal before it caused a greater disaster.
According to local reports, Barinya emerged from his home confused and hesitant to handle the situation, which angered the residents who demanded him to immediately return the animal to its cage.
After strenuous efforts, the owner managed to recapture the lion from a nearby field and returned it to the cage.
The next day, authorities from the wildlife protection office raided the influencer's home and confiscated the lion, in preparation for transferring it to a specialized facility.
The authorities announced the official charge against Barinya under Article 15 of the Wildlife Protection Act, which criminalizes negligence in taking care of predatory animals or letting them loose, with penalties of up to six months in prison or a fine of 50,000 Thai baht (about 1300 USD), or both.
In statements to local media, Barinya expressed his shock and regret, explaining that the incident occurred during the restoration of the cage, and that he would pay for the child's treatment and compensation, adding: "I apologize deeply for what happened, it was not intentional, it was an unfortunate accident."
