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Cleric in Mardan lynched to death over alleged blasphemy during PTI rally

Situation ‘under control’ in Mardan, said police official following the incident.

Cleric in Mardan was lynched to death over alleged blasphemy during a rally of the local chapter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Sawaldher, Mardan on Sunday.

As reported, a 40-year-old man identifies as Maulana Nigar Alam was lynched by a mob that too in the presence of policemen in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mardan district during a PTI solidarity rally after he claimed that he respects Imran Khan like a prophet.

According to the Mardan KDPO, the person who was killed by the mob was a local cleric and he gave alms to the people.

The police officer said that the deceased cleric was quite popular among the youth.

The video clips of the incident are circulating on social media and can not be shared within this story amid graphic content.

There are also video clips of the deceased cleric’s speech in circulation which was made during the PTI rally.

 

The police on Sunday following the incident claimed that the situation was ‘under control’ and investigations were being conducted after a man was lynched by a crazy mob at a political rally in Mardan.

DPO Najeeb ur Rehman said the police took the body of the deceased in possession and the crowd was dispersed.

Meanwhile, SSP Operations Rokhanzeb Khan added the event occurred at a political rally organized by the PTI.

A local cleric named Nigar Alam was attacked by people with punches, kicks, and clubs.

SSP Operations Rokhanzeb Khan added even the police efforts to rescue the cleric proved futile as the people barged into the shop and attacked Nigar.

“When we saw that the people [in the area] had gotten riled up and were planning to attack Nigar, we escorted him to a shop in the market [where the rally was being held]. But people broke into the shop and started attacking him with punches, kicks, and clubs,” Khan added.

The caretaker chief minister, Azam Khan, condemned the incident and directed the police to maintain law and order in the area.

The chief minister added that during political rallies, speakers should avoid religious statements and give a religious touch to a political issue.

This is not the first time a man has been lynched over blasphemy accusations in the country.

While this is the second incident of similar nature.

On April 23, 2017, 23-year-old Mashal Khan — a Mass Communication student at the Abdul Wali Khan University — was also lynched by a mob and shot at over allegations of blasphemy.

 

Saman Siddiqui

I am a freelance journalist, holding a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication and an MS in Peace and Conflict Studies, associated with the electronic media industry since 2006 in various capacities. Here at OyeYeah, I cover a range of genres, from journalism to fiction to fashion, including reviews, and fact findings. 

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