Police determine seven key accused in Sialkot lynching incident

GUJRANWALA: Police investigation has determined the role of seven key accused in lynching of a Sri Lankan national in Sialkot, ARY News reported.

“Two accused Imran and Humair attacked Priyantha Kumara with scissors and both scissors used in attack have been recovered,” police said.

“Accused Hafiz Taimoor hit the victim with brick and another accused Ali Asghar set the dead body on fire,” police said. “The lighter that was used to set the body aflame has also been recovered,” police said.

According to police, two accused Shaharyar and Bilal shattered the outer gate and called the mob, while Abdul Saboor Butt incited factory workers to attack the victim.

All seven accused have confessed their crime during investigation and recorded their confessiobnal statements under section 164, police said.

These seven accused have been transferred to jail after completion of investigation, police said.

“All seven accused the lynching being confined in a special,” jail superintendent said.

Eighty-five suspects of the Sialkot lynching case on Monday produced before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) here after completion of their 14 days physical remand period.

Stringent security measures were taken with deployment of large contingents of police around the ATC premises in Gujranwala and at the Sialkot Road.

The court, accepting the IO’s plea, extended the physical remand of 79 suspects by 14 more days and directed him to present them on next hearing on Jan 31.

Police said that seven suspects have already been sent to jail on judicial remand.

Priyantha Kumara, a 49-year-old Sri Lankan national, was lynched by a mob of workers at a factory on December 3, where he was working as manager. A first information report (FIR) was registered against hundreds of unidentified men, including workers of the factory.

Scores have since been arrested and are facing investigation. The Punjab government and the prosecution team in December decided to conduct the jail trial of the high-profile case due to security concerns.