A mob brutally lynched a man in the Swat region of Pakistan, accusing him of desecrating the Holy Quran inside the Madyan police station, Dawn reported.
The victim, a tourist from Sialkot, was burned alive by an enraged crowd on Thursday, as shown in a purported video circulated on social media.
Some individuals in a local market announced that a man had committed blasphemy, leading a crowd to apprehend the man and hand him over to the police.
Shortly after, announcements from mosques in Madyan, a well-known tourist destination in Swat, incited further anger and mobilized people towards the police station.
Witnesses reported that the mob demanded the police hand over the suspect. When the police refused, the mob forced their way into the station.
Police officers fled to save themselves, and reinforcements were called in to manage the escalating law and order situation, Dawn said.
The Swat District Police Officer (DPO) was cited as saying, “People set fire to the police station and a police vehicle. The man was burnt alive.”
The identity of the suspect has yet to be confirmed, but media reports suggest he was a tourist staying at a local hotel.
This tragic event marks the second instance of lynching over blasphemy allegations in recent weeks. Last month, a man was killed in Sargodha under similar accusations.
(Inputs from ANI)
