Poisoned pets sold as meat: Shocking goat deaths mystery uncovered in Lahore

Lahore: Police have arrested two suspects in a disturbing case involving the poisoning of pet goats and the sale of their meat to butchers in Lahore’s Green Town area.

According to police, residents had been reporting mysterious illnesses and sudden deaths of pet goats for several months. In many cases, owners disposed of their dying or dead animals at nearby garbage dumps, from where the bodies would inexplicably disappear.

The mystery was finally uncovered after CCTV footage revealed that a sanitation worker had been mixing poisonous substances into the animals’ fodder at night, causing their deaths. The dead goats were then collected from landfill sites and sold.

Local residents caught one of the suspects, identified as Shahid, when he was collecting a dead goat and handed him over to police after beating him. During interrogation, Shahid confessed that he, along with his accomplice Rashid, had been involved in the henious crime for months.

Police said the suspects sold the dead goats to a butchers for Rs2,000, who then sold the meat of these dead goats to hotels and customers across the city at cheap rates. At least eight cases have been registered against the accused, who are currently in police remand.

Speaking to ARY News program Bakhabar Savera, DIG Operations Lahore Faisal Kamran revealed that the butcher would purchase a dead goat for as little as Rs2,000 and then distribute the meat to different locations.

He said police received multiple complaints through the emergency helpline reporting poisoned goats and suspicious individuals roaming the area.

“By the human intelligence we traced the suspect, and witnesses confirmed that whenever goats died in the area, the suspect was seen nearby,” the DIG said, adding that further revelations are expected during the ongoing investigation.

Following the suspects’ disclosures, police have informed the Punjab Food Authority to take action against the hotels and outlets involved. Area residents claimed that between 30 and 40 goats had been killed over the past few months and demanded strict punishment for those responsible.

DIG Operations Lahore Faisal Kamran revealed that Shahid is a habitual criminal who was previously arrested in a similar case in April 2025, and an FIR was registered against him. However, he was later released on bail and resumed the illegal activity. He added that the butcher involved in the case has escaped, and efforts are underway to arrest him.