Imtiaz Arif Billi was hiding since the incident of lynching took place on December 3 in Sialkot.
LAHORE: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Dec 7th, 2021) Punjab Police on Tuesday arrested another prime accused named Imtiaz involved in Sialkot lynching case.
Imtiaz Arif Billi was hiding and was running from one place to arrest to avoid his arrest. However, the police arrested him on the tip of an informant.
The police said that raids were being carried out to ensure arrest of various other culprits.
Earlier, Anti-Terrorism Court’s Judge Natasha Naseem Supra had sent 13 major accused to 15-days police custody. All the accused will be presented before court on Dec 21.
Police also arrested 8 more accused along with 132 suspects under its custody.
On Monday, Police arrested seven more suspects allegedly involved in torturing Sri-Lankan factory manager Priyantha Kumara over blasphemy allegations.
The total number of arrests went up to 132 with the latest arrest.
On Dec 3, 2021, a mob of hundreds of people including the factory workers where Kumara was serving as manager subjected him to severe torture and set him ablaze on Friday.
Police booked over 900 workers of Rajco Industries on the application of Uggoki Station House Officer (SHO) Armaghan Maqt under Sections 302, 297, 201, 427, 431, 157, 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code and 7 and 11WW of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
According to the complainant, the protesters slapped, kicked and hit Kumara with sticks before him and dragged him out of the factory on Wazirabad road where took his last breath. The protesters then set his body on fire, he added. The SHO said that he was helpless in front of the mob owing to shortage of personnel.
Police, however, arrested scores of suspects including those who allegedly planned it and incited others.
The police said that 26 suspects out of 131 played a central role in brutal killing of Sri Lankan factory manager.
The incident brought bad name to the country all over the world and caused a huge dent on the ties between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
In a statement, the police said that the suspects would be tried by an anti-terrorism court and the process of identifying suspects was still continuing.
Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Pakistan Vice Admiral Mohan Wijewickrama expressed satisfaction over Pakistani authorities' response to Kumara's killing, and said the incident would not affect friendly ties between the two countries.
Talking to the reporters on Monday after meeting some PTI leaders who visited him to convey condolences, the envoy condemned the lynching, saying such incidents could not be tolerated but they were very sure that the incident itself was not targeting their country, religion or their race. It was an incident in isolation, he added.
Wijewickrama also said that a large number of suspects had already been rounded up and legal action was being pursued against them.
He also stated that discussions were underway with the Pakistani government as to how Kumara's family could be compensated.
