SIALKOT: The Punjab police on Sunday said they had rounded up six more suspects in lynching of Sri Lankan factory manager Priyantha Kumara Diyawadanage in Sialkot over blasphemy allegations.
So far, a total of 124 suspects, including 19 key suspects, have been arrested in the gruesome murder case. Police will produce all the arrested suspects before court to seek their physical remand for interrogation in the killing, said police officials.
پنجاب پولیس نےCCTV فوٹیج اور موبائل کالز ڈیٹا سے گزشتہ 12گھنٹے میں مزید 6 مرکزی کرداروں کا تعین کرکے گرفتار کرلیا ہے۔ملزمان اپنے دوستوں اور رشتے داروں کے گھروں میں چھپے ہوئے تھےابتک کی تحقیقات کے مطابق124 زیرحراست افراد میں سے 19 ملزمان کا مرکزی کرادر سامنے آیا ہے@UsmanAKBuzdar https://t.co/lWuxBzmXVb
— Punjab Police Official (@OfficialDPRPP) December 5, 2021
At least 900 people have been booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act on behalf of the Ugoki police station SHO. Meanwhile, Pakistan assured the leadership of the island nation that the culprits behind the outrageous incident would be apprehended and prosecuted as per law.
The autopsy report confirmed a fractured skull and brain protrusion of the victim. Around 99% of the body of the slain Sri Lankan manager was completely burnt. Diyawadanage died of brain damage. All the bones, including the victim’s arms and hip, were broken with the exception of one foot.
‘Punjab sends initial report to PM Imran’
A day earlier, the Punjab government had sent an initial investigation report of the Sialkot tragedy to Prime Minister Imran Khan, according to several media outlets.
As per the preliminary report, a dispute had emerged when Kumara removed some posters from the walls of the factory at 10:28am. The posters were reportedly inscribed with the name of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
Shortly after, the factory owner had reached the spot and resolved the issue. Kumara had apologised for the misunderstanding on his part.
After Kumara made the apology, the matter was reportedly considered settled and the factory workers had dispersed. However, some workers then incited their colleagues to attack the manager.
Within a few minutes, a mob formed and set on the victim within the premises of the industrial unit, eventually killing him. A total of 13 security guards were present in the factory as the brutal attack was occurring. None of them tried to rescue the victim or disperse the mob, the report had said.
Kumara’s body was later dragged outside the factory. Police received a phone call at 11:28am about the incident, officials had said. A police party had reached the site within 12 minutes.
The incident
Priyantha Kumara, working as a manager at a private factory in Sialkot, was lynched on Friday by a mob after being accused of blasphemy. The gruesome incident was dubbed by Prime Minister Imran Khan as “a day of shame for Pakistan”.
Workers of a garment industry, located on Sialkot’s Wazirabad Road, had alleged that the foreigner had committed blasphemy. He was subsequently lynched and his body set on fire. The mob had also vandalised the factory and blocked traffic, according to police.
The brutal murder drew widespread condemnation from senior government functionaries, including the prime minister and president, as well as the military’s top leadership, who promised to bring all those involved to the book.
