Police arrest prime accused of Mashal Khan murder case: DIG
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MARDAN: The district police on Thursday arrested the main accused, who shot dead Mashal Khan at Abdul Wali Khan University over alleged blasphemy, and presented him before the media.
Addressing a press conference here, DIG Mardan Alam Khan Shinwari said so far 41 accused had been arrested for alleged involvement in Mashal Khan lynching after arrest of Imran on the basis of video footages.
Shinwari disclosed that Imran was identified and caught on the information based on confessions of other accused in the case.
He said alleged assassin Imran was a class fellow of Mashal Khan, who fired three bullets but Mashal suffered two injuries.
The police had taken into custody the pistol and three rounds found from the site of incident and sent them for laboratory tests.
The DIG said that since investigation was underway based on CCTV footages and other evidences including confession statements of arrested persons, therefore something related to investigation would be shared later with media.
Shinwari said that all the investigation was evidence-based and modern technology and tools were used to identify and catch the culprits.
Describing what led to Mashal killing and lynching, he said that the varsity administration was dealing the matter at their own and neither informed the police nor district administration despite the fact the issue was so serious.
He said police however, reached the varsity in 15 minutes after the incident and saved two lives including Abdullah and one teacher and also protected dead body of Mashal from being desecrated by the mob.
To a question the DIG said that arrested persons included nine employees of Abdul Wali Khan University (AWKU) , adding that an employee of AWKU who allegedly incited the mob to murder Mashal Khan over unfounded blasphemy allegations was also arrested.
He said so far police did not find any clue of blasphemy committed by Mashal Khan, who was a student of journalism at AWKUM. He said Mashal was vocal and had differences with university administration.
The DIG said that a Joint Investigation Team comprising officials of Police, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI) and Intelligence Bureau to probe the matter as he said police was lacking expertise in some fields. (APP)
