Punjab police on Monday said they had arrested at least 18 more people connected with the mob lynching of Sri Lankan factory manager in the Sialkot incident, reported Dawn.

Quoting Sialkot police spokesperson Khurram Shehzad, the report said the suspects arrested on Monday would be presented in a Gujranwala anti-terrorism court today. After the arrest of 18 more suspects, the total number of people in custody had risen to 52, said Shehzad.

"Thirty-four primary suspects are already in remand with police. More than 100 individuals are under investigation," the spokesperson said.

49-year-old Priyantha Kumara was brutally killed by a mob on blasphemy accusation and later his body set to fire on December 3 in Sialkot. One of the factory managers Malik Adnan struggled to save Kumara from the mob but his efforts didn't materialize.

According to the report, police registered a first information report (FIR) against 900 workers of Rajco Industries - where late Kumara was employed - on the application of Uggoki Station House Officer Armaghan Maqt under sections 302, 297, 201, 427, 431, 157, 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code and 7 and 11WW of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Leaders, religious scholars, people belong to civil society widely condemned the incident with Prime Minister Imran Khan warning that the government will not spare anyone in future who will oppress someone in the name of religion and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).