Pakistan: Man killed by mob for desecrating Quran in Swat district

Peshawar: A man was killed by an angry mob for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran in the scenic Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in northwest Pakistan and eight people were injured in the ensuing unrest, police said.

District Police Officer (DPO), Swat, Zahidullah said the man from Sialkot district of Punjab allegedly burnt some pages of the Holy Quran in Madyan tehsil of Swat on Thursday night.

The suspect was taken into custody and brought to Madyan police station. A mob gathered outside the police station and demanded that he be handed over. After the police refused to do so, the mob opened fire and the police retaliated. One person was seriously injured in the exchange of fire and was transferred to the Madyan Hospital, the DPO said.

The mob then set the police station on fire. Later, some people entered the police station, shot the suspect, dragged his body to Madyan Adda and hanged it there, Zahidullah said.

Eight people were injured in the unrest triggered by the incident. Heavy police deployment has been made in Madyan and efforts are being made to bring the situation under control, he added.

Chief Minister KPK Ali Amin Gandapur has taken note of the desecration incident and sought a report from the provincial police chief.

The CM directed the IGP to take emergency steps to control the situation and urged people to remain calm and peaceful.