CHARSADDA: Enraged people demolished a religious seminary and adjacent fishing hut built on a graveyard here after a man was killed when the madressah administrator and his men opened fire on the protesters on Wednesday.

Police said that the people were protesting against the cleric after he disallowed funeral prayers and burial of a man in the graveyard of Turangzai area the other day. They said that the cleric had set up a seminary, Afzal Darul Uloom, and a fishing hut on the graveyard.

Police said that the local people and the seminary administrator, Peer Ashfaq, exchanged harsh words after which the cleric and his men opened fire which resulted into the death of one person named Khial Mohammad, resident of Khat Koruna.

Following the killing, the angry people stormed the seminary, emptied it of the copies of the holy Quran and other books and belongings of students, and then set it and the fishing hut on fire. They also pulled down the walls of the seminary and burnt down the furniture.

The protesting mob then placed the body on the road, blocking it for traffic.

The local people told Dawn that Turangzai graveyard was their oldest and legitimate burial place, where Peer Ashfaq had illegally set up a fishing hut and a seminary.

Charsadda DCO Shafiullah Khan along with police officials and assistant commissioner Nek Mohammad reached the spot, and held negotiations with the protesters after which the people ended the road blockade.

Later, they buried the man in the graveyard, while police arrested the seminary administrator and another person.

Police officials told reporters that FIR had been registered and that action would be taken against those responsible for the incident.

Published in Dawn January 22nd , 2015

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