Man burnt to death over blasphemy allegations in Swat

In a tragic incident in Madyan, Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a man accused of blasphemy was burnt to death by a mob on Thursday night. According to local police, the suspect had been taken into custody and moved to a police station for protection. However, a mob forcibly took him from the police station and set him on fire. The violent crowd also attacked and set fire to the Madyan police station, causing damage to police vehicles and injuring eight police officers.

Following the incident, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur took notice and requested a detailed report from the police chief. The Chief Minister directed the police to take immediate steps to control the situation and appealed to the public to remain peaceful.

This incident echoes a similar event last month in Punjab’s Sargodha district, where a mob attacked the house of a Christian man over blasphemy allegations. The mob damaged property, torched a shoe factory within the premises, and disrupted local infrastructure by burning tyres and damaging electricity installations. Police intervened, rescued the accused and his family, and made several arrests in connection with the violence.

These incidents highlight the severe repercussions of blasphemy accusations in Pakistan, often leading to violent mob actions and highlighting the challenges faced by law enforcement in protecting accused individuals and maintaining order.