23 arrested over Swat mob lynching

The Peshawar police with the help of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and the Special Branch arrested another 17 individuals on Sunday, linked to the killing incident of a man accused of blasphemy in the Swat district last week.

Authorities were already investigating to identify and arrest members of the mob that beat a man to death in the tourist resort of Madyan on Thursday night after accusing him of blasphemy. The mob had also set the police station in the area ablaze.

Graphic videos of the latest incident showed a frenzied mob dragging a naked and bloodied body through the streets, and then setting it on fire. The footage went viral on social media and sparked outcry amongst Pakistani users.

A 10-member joint investigation team (JIT), monitored by Malakand division’s deputy inspector general (DIG) of police and including officials from the CTD, Special Branch and other senior police officers, was formed to probe the incident.

The case involves approximately 2,000 individuals, and their identification would be confirmed by cellular data and the NADRA.

So far, the police have rounded up 23 suspects from different tehsils of Swat. Police said that preliminary investigation reports indicated that no political or high-ranking figures were present at the scene.