Sialkot lynching case: 89 accused indicted in Priyantha Kumara murder

Sialkot lynching case: 89 accused indicted in Priyantha Kumara murder

Lahore (Staff Report/Agencies): An anti-terrorism court on Saturday indicted at least 89 individuals accused of lynching Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara over blasphemy allegations.

ATC judge Natasha Naseem presided over the case’s hearing today in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail and summoned 14 prosecution witnesses on Monday.

However, all of the accused pleaded not guilty.

Kumara was lynched by a mob comprising hundreds of protesters last year in Sialkot. The mob had tortured him to death and later burnt his body.

A first information report was registered against 900 workers of Rajco Industries on the application of Uggoki Station House Officer Armaghan under sections 302, 297, 201, 427, 431, 157, 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code and 7 and 11WW of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Out of 131 men, over 30 have been declared prime suspects, were identified and detained. Most of the persons were detained with the help of CCTV footage and videos collected from social media.