PESHAWAR - Police on Sunday confirmed that 96 suspects including seven main culprits who allegedly set ablaze and damaged the Hindu temple in Karak district were arrested during non-stop police raids.

Police officer Zahir Shah said raids were being carried out to arrest the remaining culprits who are being identified through video footage of the assault. Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Shah also said the police had registered cases against 350 accused under anti-terrorism section in the temple attack case.

Also, eight police officials including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Circle Banda Daud Shah and Station House Officer (SHO) Teri Police Station were suspended from service on the charges of negligence in performing official duties to prevent mob attack on Hindu temple in Teri village.

The DPO also said that suspended officials were found guilty of negligence in official duty in initial departmental inquiry report. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz said provincial government would bear all expenditure on reconstruction of damaged Hindu temple in Teri village of district Karak. A high-level investigative team on the directive of Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday visited Hindu Samadhi in Teri village and met with local peace committee representatives to record their statements.

Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan last week took suo motu over the tragic incident and fixed the matter on January 5. The Chief Secretary and IGP were directed to submit the report on January 4.