Sialkot lynching case: Police arrest 33 more suspects

Police have arrested 33 more primary suspects involved in the Sialkot lynching case, Aaj News reported on Friday.

These suspects will be presented in the anti-terrorism court Gujranwala today. The police have arrested as many as 85 suspects out of which the police have been granted remand of 52.

On December 3, a mob of people described as “employees” of a garment factory in Sialkot had tortured and killed their Sri Lankan manager Priyantha Diyawadana, in factory premises and set his body on fire over blasphemy accusations.

All those arrested to be prosecuted with full severity of law: PM tells Sri Lankan president

Video footage that went viral on social media showed that the mob first brutally beat up the foreign national, inside the factory and then dragged his corpse on the road and set it on fire.

Talking to media, two men – Muhammad Talha and Muhammad Farhan - who introduced themselves as colleagues of Priyantha alleged that the factory workers became annoyed when the victim (operations manager) came to the factory and tore off a poster inscribed with Holy verses and dumped it into a dustbin.

Sialkot tragedy: 34 main accused arrested

Following the incident, Prime Minister Imran Khan assured Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, that all those arrested in the lynching and burning of the body of a Sri Lankan national will be prosecuted with the full severity of the law.