A mob in Punjab’s Khanewal district tortured and killed a man accused of burning pages of the Holy Quran, a private TV channel reported on Saturday.
The local police, in order to prevent themselves, allegedly allowed the accused to leave the police station in MianChunnu where the mob was present.The victim was dragged to a nearby place, tortured and killed whereas the police allegedly played the role of silent spectator.
Taking notice of the incident, IG Punjab Rao Sardar Ali Khan sought a report from Additional IG South Punjab over the incident.He also directed RPO Multan to conduct a thorough inquiry in this regard and ordered DPO Khanewal to reach the affected location as soon as possible.The IG Punjab said that those behind the tragic incident would be brought to justice.
This is not the first incident of citizens becoming judges, jury and executioners. In November last year, a mob had vandalised a police station in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’sCharsadda district and set it on fire after authorities refused to hand over a man arrested earlier for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran.They also set ablaze a police check post on Harichand Road and blocked the road for traffic. According to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Law Minister FazalShakoor, local police had shifted a suspect to Mandani police station in Charsadda after apprehending him for allegedly desecrating the Quran.Later, a mob reached the police station and demanded of the officials to hand them over the blasphemy suspect in custody.
Upon refusal by the police to entertain their demands, more people began joining the mob which increased agitation and as a result, the police station was attacked.
Minister Shakoor said that the scores of attackers also vandalised the vehicles parked in the police station. Sources familiar with the matter said the blasphemy suspect was shifted to a safer location.”The suspect who has been arrested will be proceeded against in accordance with the law,” he said.
