Mardan university student lynched by mob over alleged blasphemy: police
REUTERS | ALI AKBAR | HASSAN FARHANUPDATED 15 MINUTES AGO
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A 23-year-old student of Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan was killed and another seriously injured by a vigilante mob for allegedly “publishing blasphemous content online”, local police said Thursday.
The incident occurred within the university premises. The campus was shut down following the incident until further notice and its hostels vacated to avoid a further escalation of violence.
At least 59 people had been arrested in connection with the incident by Thursday evening, according to Mardan District Police Officer Dr Mian Saeed.
Saeed added that a First Information Report (FIR) regarding the lynching is being registered in the local police station.
No case had been filed against the two students prior to the incident and police had not been investigating the two on blasphemy charges.
The mob instead seems to have been incited by rumours circulating among the university’s student body.
