Muristek
Islamabad/Lahore, February 13
A middle-aged man was stoned to death and his body was hung from a tree by a mob for allegedly desecrating a religious book in a remote village in Pakistan's Punjab province, the police said on Sunday, a gruesome incident that has sparked nationwide outrage.
The incident took place at Jungle Derawala village in Khanewal district, situated 275 km from Lahore on Saturday evening, where locals had gathered after their Maghrib (evening) prayers, following announcements that a man had torn pages of the holy Quran and had set them on fire.
The police had arrived in the village before the incident, but the mob had outnumbered them.
They seized the victim from the SHO's custody and tied him to a tree, after which he was lynched to death, eyewitnesses said.
"Over 300 men had gathered at Masjid Shahmuqeem Muaza in Jungle Derawala village, where they tied a middle-aged man with a rope before stoning him to death. Later, they hung his body on a tree," police officer Muhammad Amin said. He said two policemen, who tried to bring the body down from the tree, were injured when mob began throwing stones at them.
According to BBC Urdu service, the victim was identified as Mushtaq Ahmed (son of Bashir Ahmed), who was a resident of Bara Chak village.
The villagers said the victim was mentally unstable and stayed out of the house for several days. The police have registered an FIR against 300 persons. Of them, 62 have been arrested so far. — PTI
Victim Was mentally unstable: Villagers
Victim has been identified as Mushtaq Ahmed of Bara Chak village Villagers said the victim was mentally unstable and stayed out of the house for several days