An angry mob on Sunday vandalised and set on fire a police station in Charsadda district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after authorities refused to hand over man arrested for allegedly desecrating pages of the Holy Quran.
The mob of 4,000 to 5,000 people also staged a sit-in on Harichand Road and set ablaze a police check post. They also vandalised vehicles parked in the police station.
Journalist Iftikhar Firdous posted a video of the mob gathered outside the police station.
“The mob had gathered outside the police station in Tangi, Charsadda. First they pelted stones,” he said.
According to dawn.com, the KP Law Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan said the police had arrested the blasphemy suspect and shifted him to the Mandani police station in Charsadda’s Tangi tehsil. People gathered outside the police station and demanded the authorities hand over the suspect. When the police refused, the agitated mob set the station on fire.
Videos of the incident, which show flames and smoke rising from the police station, are being shared on social media.
The minister also said the government will not allow anyone to take the law into their hands. and arrested suspect will be proceeded against in accordance with the law.
Speaking to SAMAA Digital, officials said that the police tried to control the situation with the help of Ulema and local elders.