Islamabad: A Hindu youth was killed and another injured on Wednesday when they were shot during a mob attack in Sindh province of Pakistan following tensions over the alleged desecration of the Quran a day ago.
The attack came after a Hindu man was arrested for allegedly desecrating the Quran on Tuesday, Dawn online reported.
Dewan Sateesh Kumar, 17, was killed and his friend Avinash was in critical condition after the two were shot while having tea at a stall in Gothki district.
Hindu community leaders have demanded protection for their lives and properties as communal tensions ran high in the district following Tuesday’s incident.
Locals said the suspect, Amar Lal, was a drug addict who lived in a mosque after converting to Islam a few month ago. His mental condition was “unstable”, they said.
Some burnt pages of the holy book were found outside an old mosque in Daharki where the emotionally charged protesters on Tuesday held a sit-in, demanding the arrest of the culprit, Dawn reported.
The accused was taken into custody and moved to an undisclosed location.
Local leaders of religious parties including Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) and Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat (ASWJ) have demanded “severe punishment” for the accused.
Demonstrators in the district burnt tyres, ransacked shops owned by Hindus and clashed with the police.
