Over 20 rioters arrested in Hindu temple desecration case in Pakistan

More than 20 people accused in a frenetic mob attack at a Hindu temple in Bhong city in Rahim Yar Khan district of Pakistan were arrested, local media reported quoting police officials.

District police officer Asad Sarfraz on Friday said that more rioters would be arrested soon and none would be spared, Dawn reported.

It further reported citing sources that one of the suspects who also runs a gold business in Bhong and has a business rivalry with some Hindu gold traders, shared a post on Facebook and instigated the Muslims to boycott Hindus.

A mob attacked a Hindu temple in Rahim Yar Khan district of Pakistan on Wednesday. Pakistani lawmaker and Hindu community leader Ramesh Kumar Vankwani shared videos of the incident. In one of the videos, the mob can be seen destroying the infrastructure of the temple.

In one of the videos, the mob can be seen destroying the infrastructure of the temple.The mob vandalised the temple and broke idols and temple structures.

Pakistan Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed on Friday reprimanded the Punjab Police chief for failing to take action to safeguard the Hindu temple, which was desecrated by a frenzied mob.

Chief Justice Gulzar took suo moto notice of the attack on the temple in village Bhong, after meeting with Ramesh Kumar, MNA and Patron-in-Chief Pakistan Hindu Council. He directed the Police chief to arrest all culprits involved in the incident, Geo News reported.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday condemned the attack on the temple."Strongly condemn attack on Ganesh Mandir in Bhung, RYK yesterday. I have already asked IG Punjab to ensure the arrest of all culprits and take action against any police negligence. The government will also restore the Mandir," Pakistan PM tweeted.India yesterday summoned Pakistan charge d'affaires and lodged a strong protest on the attack on the temple.

In recent years, there has been a surge in attacks on the place of worship of religious minorities in Pakistan. The country has been repeatedly slammed by the international community for not safeguarding the interest of its minorities.

Last year in December, a mob of over a hundred people led by local Muslim clerics had destroyed and set on fire the temple in the Karak district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. A video clip that went viral on social media showed a violent mob destroying the walls and roof of the temple.

Pakistan has been discriminating against its religious minorities, which is manifested in various forms of targeted violence, mass murders, extrajudicial killings, abduction, rapes, forced conversion to Islam, etc., making the Pakistani Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Ahmadiyyas, and Shias one of the most persecuted minorities in the region.

( With inputs from ANI )