Remains of Priyantha Kumara arrives in Colombo
LAHORE/COLOMBO -The remains of a Sri Lankan national, who was lynched by a mob in Pakistan over allegations of blasphemy, were brought to Colombo on Monday (6) even as authorities in the Pakistani province of Punjab arrested more suspects involved in the grisly incident.
The wooden coffin carrying the remains was brought to Sri Lanka from Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport on a SriLankan Airlines flight. ‘Human remains of late Don Nandasri P Kumara Diyawadanage. From Lahore to Colombo’ was transcribed on the coffin.
Local media reported that the remains were received by the next-of-kin at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).
Priyantha Diyawadana was employed as the General Manager Operation at Rajco Industries in the Sialkot district, some 100 km from Lahore.
A mob of over 800 men, including supporters of hardline Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), attacked the garment factory and lynched Kumara, setting him on fire over allegations of blasphemy on Friday (3).
Earlier, the remains were brought to the Lahore airport in an ambulance where Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs, Ejaz Alam Augustine, handed over the coffin to Sri Lanka High Commission officials. The body was transported on special SriLankan flight.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Punjab Police claimed to have arrested seven more prime suspects allegedly involved in the lynching of 49-year-old Kumara.
“A total 131 suspects, including 26 main suspects, have been arrested so far. The 26 prime suspects have played a key role in inciting the people, lynching Kumara and setting his body ablaze,” the Punjab Police said in a tweet on Monday.
Some 15 prime suspects were presented before the Anti-Terrorism Court Gujranwala on Monday where they were remanded in police custody for 15 days.
According to police, after brutally killing Kumara, the mob also wanted to kill the factory owner and set the building on fire.
“A group of charged workers headed towards the residence of the factory owner to kill him, but timely action by police prevented further violence,” Sialkot District Police Officer Omar Saeed said.
Earlier, narrating the sequence of the gruesome incident, Inspector General Police (Punjab) Rao Sardar Ali Khan had said: “A mob of over 800 men gathered and attacked the factory at 10:00 a.m. Friday after reports emerged that Kumara had torn a sticker/poster inscribed with Islamic verses and committed a blasphemy. They searched for him and found him on the rooftop. They dragged him, beat him severely and by 11.28 a.m., he was dead and the body was set on fire by the violent mob.”
Kumara was working as general manager in Rajko industries, which deals in sportswear, for the last seven years.
The horrific incident sparked outrage across Pakistan with all sections of the society condemning it and calling for the culprits to be punished.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday (5) announced Tamgha-i-Shujaat (civil award for bravery) for the victim’s colleague, Malik Adnan, who tried to rescue him from the mob.
-PTI/ENCL