Main accused in Hindu temple vandalism arrested in Pak
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The Hindu temple that was vandalised in Pakistan this week will be reconstructed. (Photo: IANS)
Peshawar: Pakistani police on Friday claimed to have arrested the main accused in the vandalisation of a Hindu temple by a mob led by members of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,reports PTI
The main accused identified as Faizullah was arrested from Karak district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief Sanaullah Abbasi said on Friday, claiming that he instigated and facilitated the mob for attacking the temple and damaging the Samadhi of a religious leader there.
The police chief informed that 110 people have been arrested in the case so far.
The attack on the temple in Terri village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (KP) Karak district last week by members of radical Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party (Fazal ur Rehman group) drew strong condemnation from human rights activists and the minority Hindu community leaders.
The temple was attacked by the mob after members of the Hindu community received permission from local authorities to renovate its decades-old building. The mob had demolished the newly constructed work alongside the old structure.
Earlier eight police officials were suspended on Sunday for dereliction of duty while the temple was vandalised and set on fire by a mob.
The Supreme Court has ordered the Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB) to start reconstruction of the damaged temple and instructed authorities to recover the money for the restoration work from the attackers whose act has caused "international embarrassment" to Pakistan.
On January 2, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan had assured that the government would reconstruct the damaged temple and the Samadhi at the shortest possible time.
According to a notification issued by the Chief Minister's Secretariat late on January 2 night, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has constituted a four-member committee to assess the damage to the temple and develop its reconstruction plan in consultation with the Hindu community.
The committee has been asked to complete the work in 10 days.
(From PTI with edits)