KOHAT: The students of the Kohat University of Science and Technology here on Wednesday attempted to lynch a fellow student for allegedly posting blasphemous comments on Facebook last month.

The students were enraged after they found the accused in the classroom in violation of an agreement reached with the administration that he would be expelled from the university.

The students got hold of the accused and started thrashing and kicking him, leaving him injured.

However, vice chancellor Dr Tasleem Hussain got him freed from the students and took him to his office. Later, the VC called the police to the campus to control the situation.

Soon afterwards, the anti-riot police along with armoured personnel carriers reached the university, where the enraged students had besieged the VC’s office.

They demanded that either the administration expel him from the university or they would kill him.

Later, the students closed all gates of the university and said they won’t open the gates unless a notification for the expulsion of the alleged blasphemer was issued.

Succumbing to the pressure, the vice chancellor issued a notification expelling the student from the varsity, after which the gates were opened by the protesting students.

The students checked each police vehicle for the presence of the student before allowing it to leave the campus.

After the blasphemy controversy arose last month, the suspect was sent to prison on the orders of the deputy commissioner.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2020