KHANEWAL    -  A violent mob tortured a man to death and hanged him from a tree on the accusation of burning the Holy Quran in Tulamba, Khanewal district on Saturday.

According to locals of the area, lynching of the deceased occurred after a rumour about him burning the Quran in a local mosque spread in Adda 17-Morr area. People smelled something burning in the mosque, and when they came inside, they saw the man who had allegedly burnt the Quran. The mob tortured him till death and hanged the dead body from a tree. The angry mob also refused to handover the body to police. In horrific videos shared across social media, the deceased can be seen being thrown down on the floor where dozens of people violently beating him.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nasir Saqib told the media that it was too early to deny or affirm anything at the moment. He added the deceased was not a resident of that area. The police later took the body into their custody and shifted it to hospital.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar took notice of the incident and sought a report from the Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP). The chief minister also ordered an inquiry into the incident and a stern action against those involved in the killing.