ABBOTTABAD: The police have arrested two brothers and a transgender person on charges of desecrating the holy Quran in Abbottabad and Havelian.

In the first incident, a transgender person identified as Qaiser Zada, a resident of Swabi, was arrested on Thursday after he was allegedly caught by locals near the Jinnah Bagh in Abbottabad city while burning a copy of the holy Quran. He was beaten up by the people and was later handed over to the police.

The police registered FIR against the accused under Section 295-B, and later produced him before the judicial magistrate, who remanded him for three days.

In the other incident, the police arrested two brothers - Asif Fareed and Abdullah Fareed - when locals allegedly caught them burning pieces of Quran and other Islamic material.

The alleged blasphemers had collected the pieces from the tin boxes affixed to poles on the roadside.

The two were also booked under Section 295-B on the complaint of local elders and ulema.

Sources said that people blocked the Abbottabad-Havelian Road after the incident, with some protesters attacking the Havelian police station and trying to enter the lock-up. The police used tear gas to disperse them.

The protesters were chanting slogans and were demanding that the police hand the alleged blasphemers to them.

DSP Havelian Bashir and additional SP Malik Ejaz held negotiations with the protesters to calm them down.

The police also arrested at least six protesters for damaging a police mobile, motorcycles and other vehicles parked inside the police station.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2021