Alleged desecration of Holy Quran: Two injured as mob clash with police

PESHAWAR: Two people were injured in clashes with police when protesters blocked the Charsadda Road near Bakhshi Pul on Tuesday.

Police officials said the cops cleared the road for traffic after holding talks with the elders.

It was learnt that a number of villagers took to the streets and blocked the road against the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran. They were not opening the road and clashed with police.

Police had to fire teargas shells and shots into the air to disperse the mob. The two people wounded in the clash were taken to hospital. The road was later cleared for traffic.

An official of the capital city police said an incident of desecration of the Holy Quran took place during a fight in a house in the limits of Khazana Police Station.

He added police took immediate action and arrested the accused involved in the incident. The accused was transferred for questioning and investigation and according to the law a case was registered against the accused and the investigation was started.

“After the tragic incident, the people protested and blocked the Charsadda Road for all kinds of traffic. Some miscreants also pelted stones at the police,” said an official. He added the gate of the police station was damaged due to stone pelting.

“SP Rural Division Inam Jan and other police personnel were injured with the stones pelted by the protesters,” said the official.

He added that taking notice of the incident, CCPO Peshawar Qasim Ali Khan formed a special team of police officers under SSP Operation Kashif Zulfikar to maintain law and order and disperse the protesters. The committee started negotiations with religious leaders and elders.

After getting assurance that legal action would be taken against the accused, the protesters dispersed peacefully. Meanwhile, the protest caused severe traffic jams on the Charsadda Road and all nearby roads in the city, creating concerns among the people.