Khanewal lynching: Punjab police arrest six more key suspects

The Punjab Police arrested on Monday six more key suspects in the lynching of a man in Khanewal town of Punjab.

In a tweet, the official Twitter handle of Punjab Police said that so far 21 key suspects have been arrested in the case.

The tweet further said that so far, a total of 102 suspects have been arrested.

"Secret operation to arrest the accused is underway from the night," the tweet said.

The lynching incident took place in Jungle Dera village in Khanewal on Saturday evening where hundreds of locals were said to have gathered after Maghrib prayers following announcements that a man had torn some pages of the Holy Quran and later set them on fire.

PM condemns lynching incident, vows stern action

The victim reportedly claimed innocence but the enraged mob was not ready to listen to him. The villagers first hanged him from a tree and then hit him with bricks till his death.

Following the incident, Prime Minister Imran Khan took notice, reiterating that the perpetrators would be dealt with "full severity of the law".

“We have zero tolerance for anyone taking the law into their own hands and mob lynching will be dealt with full severity of the law,” the PM said in a statement.

He sought a report from Inspector General Police Punjab Rao Sardar Ali Khan on action taken against perpetrators of the lynching in Mian Channu and against the police who failed in their duty.

Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari also took to Twitter and condemned the inicdent.

"Punjab government must immediately take action against the police that watched it happen and the perpetrators. Laws exist - the police must enforce these laws & not allow mobs to rule the day."