Friday, June 21, 2024 – An angry mob in Pakistan has broken into a police station to snatch a tourist who they then beat to death before setting his body on fire over allegations that he had desecrated Islam's holy book, the Quran.
The man, Mohammad Ismail, was a tourist who had been staying at a hotel in the town when a gang of locals turned on him and accused him of blasphemy.
The attackers also torched the station in Madyan, a town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and burned police vehicles parked there, according to local police officials.
Police have reportedly registered a case against hundreds of people, and are trying to identify those involved in attacking the station and killing the man.
Police official Rahim Ullah said officers took the man to the station for his protection but the mob stormed the station in large numbers and chased them out.
Hundreds of 'enraged' locals then attacked the station, snatched Ismail, beat him to death, and then burned his body and left it on the road.
Additional police forces have arrived in Madyan to bring the situation under control, Mr Ullah said.
The victim has been identified in local media as a tourist from Sialkot, Punjab.
International and national rights groups say blasphemy accusations have often been used to intimidate religious minorities and settle personal scores.
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