Mardan lynching: Eight arrested, victim laid to rest

MARDAN/PESHAWAR: Police has registered two separate cases and arrested eight suspects over the lynching of a student by an enraged mob over blasphemy allegations at Abdul Wali Khan University's Garden campus in Mardan.

Mardan District Police Officer Dr Mian Saeed told Geo News on Friday the cases were registered under clauses 427, 297, 302 and 148 of the Pakistan Penal Code and section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

He said that 20 suspects, who were identified from videos of the gruesome incident, have been nominated in the cases registered at the Sheikh Maltoon police station.

The suspects included a councillor and four university employees besides students.

Police has formed three teams to arrest the remaining suspects, the DPO said.

The official added that 59 people have been detained over the incident and are being interrogated.

Meanwhile, the funeral prayers for the slain student, identified as Mohammad Mashal Khan, were offered at Zaida village in Swabi district on Friday morning.

'He always respected religion, stayed focused on education'

The grieving father told Geo News his deceased son had always respected religion and was focused primarily on his education.

"Mashal used to talk about the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) with the family members at home. His prime focus was on education," the father, a local poet, said.

"Everyone here is a witness to this.. he always respected religion. He was a critic of the system, he rarely spoke, just used to stay silent mostly," the father lamented.

"Being a father, I want justice," he demanded from the authorities.

Mashal, who was enrolled at the university’s Mass Communication department, was lynched by an enraged mob over blasphemy allegations at Abdul Wali Khan University's campus premises on Thursday.

The university campus premises where Mashal was lynched/AFP

The clash, in which five others were injured, occurred in the afternoon as the mob resorted to firing and vandalism.

Abdul Wali Khan University has been closed for an indefinite period following the incident and hostels on the premises have been evacuated.

—Reporting by Mehmood Jan Babar and Ashraf Khan