20 people arrested, over 150 booked in Pakistan for attack on Hindu temple

TIL Desk/World/Lahore/ Police in Pakistan”s Punjab province on Saturday said they have arrested 20 people and booked over 150 others for their alleged involvement in an attack on a Hindu temple in a remote town of the country.

The police action came after the country”s Supreme Court on Friday pulled up authorities for failing to stop the attack and ordered the arrest of the culprits, observing that the incident has tarnished the image of the country abroad.

Hundreds of people, carrying sticks, stones and bricks attacked the temple, burning parts of it and damaging the idols, in Bhong area of Rahimyar Khan district of the province in protest against the release by a court of an eight-year-old Hindu boy, who was arrested for allegedly urinating in a local seminary.

“We have so far arrested over 20 suspects allegedly involved in attacking the temple in Bhong,” District Police Officer (DPO) of Rahim Yar Khan Asad Sarfraz told reporters. He said more arrests are expected in the coming days as police are identifying the suspects through video footage.

An FIR has been registered under terrorism and other sections of the Pakistan Penal Code against over 150 for their involvement in attacking the temple, he said. “We will arrest every suspect involved in this crime. On the order of apex court, restoration work of the temple has been started,” he said.