GUJRAT, June 24: Gujrat police is making arrangements to contact Interpol to extradite the principal accused in a blasphemy case from UK in which a police constable had shot dead one of the co-accused in custody, it is learnt on Sunday.

Reports said one Mirza Younas alias Asar Chugtai of Muslimabad, Gujrat, wrote two books titled ‘Zilat’ and ‘Ek Maulana Ek Kafar’.

Two men Mian Qasim and Ahmad Raza allegedly helped the author in composing and publishing the books, while one Ghafoor Aslam sponsored the launching ceremony at tehsil council hall on May 13 where various critics and poets expressed their views.

Sources said security branch personnel received reports that the books allegedly contained blasphemous contents. Following detailed study of books, they found that the book, ‘Zilat’, contained blasphemous matter on pages 17, 23, 31, 173, 281 and 282, while the other book, ‘Ek Maulana Ek Kafar’ also contained such matter.

An FIR under section 295-C was launched against Asar Chugtai, Ghafoor Aslam, Mian Qasim, Ahmad Raza and Irfan Amir on the complaint of security branch inspector Mohammad Younas on June 12 at B-Division police station.

Police arrested the four accused, while Asar Chugtai fled away to Manchester, UK.

An area magistrate had granted five-day physical remand in custody of the accused who were detained at Kharian cantonment police station for interrogation. Meanwhile, Constable Mohammad Saqib opened fire with his official gun at the accused, killing Mian Qasim on the spot and critically injuring Irfan, while the other two escaped unhurt.

Constable Sadiq was overpowered by his colleagues at the police station and a case was registered against him on the complaint of the SHO concerned. He was sent to jail by an area magistrate.

Meanwhile, activists belonging to different parties held a big protest rally on Friday where speakers demanded the government should extradite Asar Chugtai for a trial.

They also strongly criticised the UK government for awarding knighthood to British writer Salman Rushdie.

Sources said police high-ups have ordered Gujrat police to contact Interpol for extraditing Chughtai.