SWAT/ISLAMABAD: An angry mob in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat lynched a local tourist and set his body on fire on Thursday night over allegations of desecrating the Holy Quran, according to a police officer.
The man was initially arrested and taken to the Madyan police station, but the station was later stormed by the mob, police and local residents reported.
“We had moved the accused to the police station,” said Dr. Zahid Ullah, the Swat DPO, said. “The enraged crowd attacked the station and took the accused away.”
Videos of the incident quickly spread on social media, with users claiming that hundreds had gathered outside the police station. Reports suggested that some individuals were injured during exchanges of gunfire between the police and locals.
Locals said that announcements were made in the marketplace about the alleged desecration of the Quran in Madyan. The accused was initially captured by a group of people and handed over to the police. However, subsequent announcements from mosques rallied a mob that stormed the police station, dragged the suspect out, and killed him.
The mob also set fire to the police station and a mobile van, destroying both. Police personnel managed to escape, and additional forces were called in to control the situation.
The accused has been identified as a resident of Sialkot, Punjab, who was staying at a hotel in Madyan as a tourist. Locals noted that the announcements were made through mosques and loudspeakers in the marketplace.
“The investigation into the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran is ongoing,” said the DPO, confirming the destruction of the police station and vehicle by the mob.
At least eight people were injured in the incident, and the death of the blasphemy accused was confirmed by Zahid.
A heavy police presence has been deployed in the town as the situation remains tense. “We are trying to bring it under control,” Zahid added.
Last month, a mob in Punjab’s Sargodha protested, attacked multiple houses, broke windows, and set household belongings on fire over similar allegations. A week later, a Christian man severely injured in the attack died in a hospital in Rawalpindi.
In December 2021, a mob in Sialkot tortured a man to death and burned his body over blasphemy allegations.
