Horror video shows mob storm police station and beat to death a prisoner accused of witchcraft & blasphemy in Pakistan
AN ANGRY mob has stormed a police station and brutally lynched a man accused of blasphemy.
The horrific killing took place in the eastern Punjab Province of Pakistan, sparking outrage and an investigation from the Prime Minister.
Waris Issa had been arrested for blasphemy by "desecration of the Quran", according to police reports.
Some reports claim the man had been arrested for his own safety, before the mob breached the police station.
One video showed a man using a ladder to scale the outside of the police station before the mob stormed the building.
Videos on social media showed brutal footage of Issa being dragged through the streets naked while being whipped.
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Further videos seem to show the man having accelerant poured on him and then being set on fire, as the mob cheered.
GeoNews revealed residents of the area claimed the man practised witchcraft by "pasting his ex-wife's picture on holy books".
Two senior police officers reportedly fled the scene and allowed the lynching to happen, a statement read.
The Punjab Inspector-General of Police Usman Anwar said: "No one is allowed to take the law into their hands, no matter how influential they are."
The Punjab Police following the brutal murder, and said officers have submitted an enquiry report.
They said: "Strict departmental and legal action will be taken against those responsible for the incident and the perpetrators of negligence."
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned the attacks and questioned why police failed to stop the violent mob.
Blasphemy is a crime punishable by death under Pakistani law.
In February 2022 in Punjab, a mob stoned Mushtaq Ahmed to death for allegedly desecrating the Koran.
Pakistan has seen a number of cases of vigilante action by mobs against people accused of blasphemy.