Locals injure man over `desecration`

KOHAT: The residents of Kotki area in Hangu district shot and injured a person for alleged desecration of the holy Quran at a shrine on Wednesday.Police arrested the young man under section 195-B and put him in the lockup of Hangu city police station. However, case against him was registered in Saddar police station because the incident occurred in its limits.Sources said that police received anonymous threatening calls, threatening them of dire consequences in case they didn`t arrest the alleged blasphemer. Similar telephone calls were also received by local journalists, who were warned to file story about the incident or face consequences. Sources said that the calls were made by militants.Sources said that 27-year-old Saiful Malook picked up few damaged pages of the holy Quran from a mosque and burned them at a shrine in Kotki area where he was spotted by some people. Locals beat him and opened firing on him, injuring his leg, they added.He was brought to Hangu city police station and locked after registration of case for interrogation.According to preliminary investigations the accused was a sensible man and just wanted to burn the damaged pages under the Islamic law to save them from desecration. However, officials of local police, when contacted, were tightlipped about the incident. – Dawn