An enraged mob in the Swat district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa fatally attacked a man accused of desecrating the holy Quran. The incident unfolded on Thursday night in Madyan tehsil, leading to the tragic death of the accused and injuries to eight others in the chaos that followed.
In the picturesque Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northwest Pakistan, a man was killed by an angry mob over allegations of desecrating the Holy Quran, with eight others injured in the resulting unrest, according to police reports.
Zahidullah, the District Police Officer (DPO) of Swat, stated that the victim, hailing from Sialkot district in Punjab, was accused of burning certain pages of the Holy Quran in Madyan tehsil of Swat on Thursday night. Upon his arrest and subsequent detention at Madyan police station, a crowd assembled outside, demanding his release. When the police declined, the mob resorted to violence, leading to an exchange of gunfire between them and the law enforcement officers. One individual sustained serious injuries in the confrontation and was rushed to Madyan Hospital, as confirmed by the DPO.
Following the skirmish, the mob set fire to the police station and, later, stormed inside, fatally shooting the suspect. They then proceeded to drag his body to Madyan Adda, where they hung it, Zahidullah reported.
Eight people suffered injuries during the unrest prompted by the incident. To restore order, significant police presence has been deployed in Madyan, with ongoing efforts to stabilize the situation, added the DPO.
Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, has taken cognizance of the desecration incident and has requested a comprehensive report from the provincial police chief. Additionally, the CM has instructed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to take immediate measures to quell the unrest, urging the public to maintain calm and peace.
