LAHORE - An anti-terrorism court yesterday indicted 20 Christians for their alleged involvement in lynching two Muslims at Ferozepur road after Yohannabad bomb blasts on two churches.
However, the accused denied the charges and pleaded that they did not lynch the victims. The Court had ordered the prosecution to produce the witnesses on the next hearing, Nov 5.
Earlier, police submitted challan against the accused declaring them guilty. Police told the court that the accused were identified through video footages and then taken into custody. The help of the Nadra was also taken by the police to identify the suspects.
On March 14, two suicide bombers exploded themselves outside two churches in Youhanabad which took lives of 15 people including two policemen who were deployed there for security and left 80 others injured. After the attacks, the members of the Yohannabad community held protest and blocked the main Ferozepur road. They took two Muslims Baber Numan and Hafiz Naeem from the main street of the community, beaten them and set them on fire.
Four FIRs were registered against the perpetrators of the incident and second two FIRs were registered against those who were involved in lynching. First FIR was registered against Terrorists. Police took Aslam Masih, Ilyas Masih, Chand Masih, Waris Masih,Faisal Masih, Anmol Masih, Sadaqat Zia Masih, Fayyaz Masih, Sumbal Barkat Masih, Sumbal Dicson, Salamat Masih, Kashif Masih, Zakria Masih, Shehzad Masih,Rafaqat Masih, Rohail Masih, Riaz Masih, Nazeer Masih, Tariq Masih, Irshad Masih, Asif Masih and Ashfaque Masih over the charges of burning alive Naem and Nauman into custody. Tamsoon Masih , Sadaqat Masih, Faisal Masih, Irfan Masih and Saghir Masih were booked for damaging the public property.