600 booked, 100 arrested over Jaranwala violence against Christian community
FAISALABAD: The police in Jaranwala area of Faisalabad district have registered two cases against over 600 people and arrested at least 100 accused for ransacking and torching Christians’ homes and churches a day ago, according to local media reports on Thursday citing police officials.
On Wednesday, a charged mob of hundreds of locals had vandalized and torched five churches while also attacking the residences of members of the Christian community.
A Christian cemetery and the office of the local assistant commissioner were also vandalized. The incident led the Punjab government to call in Rangers while 3,000 police personnel from various police units, including the Elite Force, had been deployed there to guard the Christian community and check further violence.
According to police, the violence erupted after locals alleged that desecrated pages of the Holy Quran had been found near the house of two Christian brothers in Jaranwala town.
In light of the volatile situation, the district administration imposed Section 144 for seven days, prohibiting all kinds of gatherings, except for events organised by the government.
According to reports, the Punjab government has also formed of a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the incident, in line with directives issued by Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq.
In a statement issued late on Wednesday night, Punjab police said it had made over 100 arrests while Rangers had also been called in.
According to eye-witness accounts, a violent mob of hundreds of people attacked the Christian community, ransacked their homes after entering them and torched church buildings.
According to the FIR, a man used the loudspeakers of a mosque – located near the Cinema Chowk – to urge people to “gather and protest” against alleged desecration of the Holy Quran.
It stated that the mob gathered outside the mosque armed with batons, road carts, petrol bottles and started chanting slogans. It added that the mob resisted the police party and entered the Christian community’s homes and ransacked them. The protesters threw out people’s belongings and started setting alight. They also entered a Catholic church, destroyed the things there and torched its building, it added. Separately, the Faisalabad deputy commissioner issued an order declaring a “local holiday” in the Jaranwala tehsil on Thursday due to the law and order exigency in the area. – our reporter and news agencies contributed to this report.
