12 suspects in Nankana Sahib lynching case arrested

NANKANA SAHIB: The Punjab Police on Sunday arrested 12 suspects involved in the lynching of a man accused of blasphemy in Nankana Sahib, a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the incident.

The arrests were made after the investigation and identification of suspects through videos, said police in a statement.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday took notice of a mob lynching of a man over blasphemy allegations in Nankana Sahib, saying action would be taken against police officials who failed in their duty.

The prime minister took notice of the incident as videos circulating on social media purportedly showed a man was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy.

“No one is allowed to take the law into their hands,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had said in a statement.

Taking notice, Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar suspended two senior cops for failing to prevent the mob lynching of a man over blasphemy allegations in Nankana Sahib.

The police in a statement said that Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar has suspended Nankana Sahib Circle Deputy Superintendent of Police Nawaz Waraq and Warburton Station House Officer Feroz Bhatti.

The IGP further directed the Internal Accountability Branch Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Muhammad Amin Bukhari and Special Branch DIG Raja Faisal to reach the incident location and submit an inquiry report. “Strict departmental and legal action will be taken against those responsible for the incident,” the IGP asserted.