Sri Lankan factory manager tortured to death in Sialkot over alleged blasphemy
Trigger warning : This article contains graphic content.
A Sri Lankan factory manager has been tortured to death on the charges of blasphemy. As per social media reports, he was working as a manager at a private sportswear manufacturing factory.
As per District Police Officer (DPO) Umar Saeed Malik, the man was murdered by factory employees. According to the DPO, the police have arrived at the place of incident.
In the video shared on social media, it can be seen that the man’s body was burnt publicly after he was murdered.
According to sources, the Sri Lankan national allegedly tore posters off a wall in the factory, which had religious text written on it. He removed it from the wall as the wall was not a place where posters were allowed. After taking down the poster, hundreds of people gathered, dragged him outside, killed him and then burnt his body.
His name was Priyantha Diyawadana. He joined the factory in 2010 and has been here since.
TW: The video contains content that can be disturbing for some viewers.
https://twitter.com/saboohsyed/status/1466694258199465987?s=21According to journalist Rabia Mehmood, “Factory workers Talha, Furhan complained and decided on the spot to kill the SriLankan national.”
She shared a picture of the two men who claimed to be part of the lynch mob and complained against the manager and then “dragged him out to burn him to death, and are using Tehreek Labbaik’s violence inciting narrative to justify why they did it”.
As per vids uploaded from Sialkot, sr manager of Rajco Industry tore off a paper w/ words Labbaik Ya Hussain. Factory workers Talha, Furhan complained & decided on the spot to kill the SriLankan national. Here they quoted the Tehreek Labbaik's call for murder & other slogans. 👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/4YEvnilpQ3
— Rabia Mehmood – رابعہ (@Rabail26) December 3, 2021
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar have termed the incident as “horrific”. Buzdar has also instructed IG Police to investigate the incident.
I am extremely shocked at the horrific Sialkot incident. I have instructed IG Police to thoroughly investigate it. No one is allowed to take law in their hands. Rest assured, individuals involved in this inhumane act will not be spared!!
— Usman Buzdar (@UsmanAKBuzdar) December 3, 2021
People on social media are condemning the incident:
Srilankan national killed and burnt by mob in Sialkot on allegations of Blasphemy.Such incidents are bound to happen,state succumbed before TLP and condoned destruction it caused. Everyone feels immunity exists and state is super weak to react when u kill in the name of religion
— Abuzar Salman Niazi (@SalmanKNiazi1) December 3, 2021
I feel horror, shame, anger, helplessness and so much more. #Sialkot
— Saman Tariq (@stariq88) December 3, 2021
I fear for everyone I know who lives there.#Sialkot
— Malik. (@WaeedAhmedd) December 3, 2021
https://twitter.com/ArbazAhsan7/status/1466686476096311301پیارے پیغمبر محمد صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم رحمت العالمین، سید المرسلین، خاتم النبیین کے نام پر نہیں اپنی جنونیت کی تسکین کے لیے آج ایک اور شخص کو زندہ جلا ڈالا۔ #Sialkot
— Iffat Hasan Rizvi (@IffatHasanRizvi) December 3, 2021
Don't be surprised by sialkot. You don't get to be outraged. This is the natural and logical consequence of legitimising mob violence in the name of religion. You will have a thousand more Mashal Khans to mourn, and all thanks to the state bending over again and again.
— Zarrar Khuhro (@ZarrarKhuhro) December 3, 2021
The amount of radicalisation and intolerance that has transgressed into the society can be very well measured by what happened in Sialkot – Absolutely horrific – Our heads should hang in shame. #Pakistan
— Anas Mallick (@AnasMallick) December 3, 2021
Screw it. Already on their hit list so what does it matter
— Zarrar Khuhro (@ZarrarKhuhro) December 3, 2021