HUB: An angry mob gathered outside a police station located in the city on Thursday and demanded that a Hindu man accused of blasphemy be handed over to them so that they could administer justice to him.
According to details, the mob assembled outside a police station during the day and demanded that a suspect accused of blasphemy be handed over to them.
Police and FC personnel held negotiations with the mob that refused to back down from their demand.
A case of blasphemy and incitement was registered against the accused, who is a local business owner, on the complaint of various citizens. He was accused of sharing a blasphemous photo on social media.
The situation turned violent when police refused to entertain the protester's demands. Protesters pelted stones at police and FC personnel due to which law enforcement personnel fired aerial shots. A DSP was also injured as a result of the altercation between the mob and law enforcement personnel.
A heavy contingent of police and FC personnel arrived on the scene to control the deteriorating situation. One boy was seriously injured due to the clashes between law enforcement personnel and protesters.
AFP adds
A 10-year boy was killed when the mob attacked a police station in an attempt to lynch the suspect.
"When news of his arrest was published in local newspapers on Thursday, a crowd of some 500 people including traders, clerics and politicians surrounded the town's police station to demand he be handed over," police official Abdul Sattar told AFP.
When police refused, the mob turned on them, beating up officers and local government officials before opening fire with guns. A 10-year-old boy was killed and five others were wounded in the melee, he added.
Jam Mohammad, a second police official, confirmed the account, adding: "The siege went on for about three hours and the mob went on a rampage demanding Kumar be handed over."
Order was restored once the government sent in paramilitary troops to disperse the mob, which police said was led by an influential cleric as well as Zia Shehzad, a politician from the ruling PML-N political party.
But Mujeeb Qambrani, a senior local administration official said his government had not succumbed to the mob because "we are legally bound to protect the accused".
HUB: An angry mob gathered outside a police station located in the city on Thursday and demanded that a Hindu man accused of blasphemy be handed over to them so that they could administer justice to him.
According to details, the mob assembled outside a police station during the day and demanded that a suspect accused of blasphemy be handed over to them.
Police and FC personnel held negotiations with the mob that refused to back down from their demand.
A case of blasphemy and incitement was registered against the accused, who is a local business owner, on the complaint of various citizens. He was accused of sharing a blasphemous photo on social media.
The situation turned violent when police refused to entertain the protester's demands. Protesters pelted stones at police and FC personnel due to which law enforcement personnel fired aerial shots. A DSP was also injured as a result of the altercation between the mob and law enforcement personnel.
A heavy contingent of police and FC personnel arrived on the scene to control the deteriorating situation. One boy was seriously injured due to the clashes between law enforcement personnel and protesters.
AFP adds
A 10-year boy was killed when the mob attacked a police station in an attempt to lynch the suspect.
"When news of his arrest was published in local newspapers on Thursday, a crowd of some 500 people including traders, clerics and politicians surrounded the town's police station to demand he be handed over," police official Abdul Sattar told AFP.
When police refused, the mob turned on them, beating up officers and local government officials before opening fire with guns. A 10-year-old boy was killed and five others were wounded in the melee, he added.
Jam Mohammad, a second police official, confirmed the account, adding: "The siege went on for about three hours and the mob went on a rampage demanding Kumar be handed over."
Order was restored once the government sent in paramilitary troops to disperse the mob, which police said was led by an influential cleric as well as Zia Shehzad, a politician from the ruling PML-N political party.
But Mujeeb Qambrani, a senior local administration official said his government had not succumbed to the mob because "we are legally bound to protect the accused".
