RAHIM YAR KHAN/BAHAWALPUR: The Hindu temple in Bhong town that was ransacked by a mob following an incident of alleged desecration of a seminary a couple of days back, has been completely restored to its original shape and handed over back to the minority community.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Khuram Shehzad said this on Monday while briefing Pakistan Army Commander of 60 brigade, Brig Mohsin Imtiaz and Chenab Rangers Sector Commander Adnan Danish, during their visit of the temple in Bhong town, some 60kms from here.

The DC said that for the security of the temple, a boundary wall was also being constructed around it.

He said the work on restoration of the idols (Moorti), damaged during the attack on the temple, would be complete soon.

Some 100 suspects sent on judicial remand in three days

He said that all the expenses incurred on the temple’s renovation would be recovered from the rioters involved in the attack.

He said police had prepared a comprehensive security plan for the temple and the Hindu families who had moved to other places during the violence would be brought back to Bhong town after clearance by police.

On the occasion, the Temple Committee member Mohan Jee said the local Hindu community was satisfied with the temple renovation work carried out by the district administration.

He added that it would take two months to complete the work on restoration of the idols in the temple and the experts for the purpose would be brought from Hyderabad.

He said the Hindu community would start performing the religious rites at the temple after the restoration of the idols.

Meanwhile, different local courts with powers of anti-terrorism courts (ATCs) have so far sent some 100 suspects allegedly involved in the attack on the temple in Bhong town on judicial remand to the New Central Jail, Bahawalpur.

The suspects were produced before the courts by Rahim Yar Khan police during the last three days.

ATC Judge Nasir Hussain sent 38 suspects on judicial remand before proceeding on official/mandatory leave for a month on Saturday.

On Sunday, despite the official holiday, the police brought 14 suspects from Bhong and other places and produced them before the duty judge, Additional Sessions Judge Ghulam Hussain Bhindhar as the ATC was closed for official holidays till Aug 29. The duty judge sent them on judicial remand to the local central jail.

On Monday, the police produced another batch of suspects involved in the incident in the court for judicial remand, who were also sent to the jail by the duty ATC judge.

TWO KILLED: Two persons were allegedly killed on Sunday night when an old mortar shell exploded while a scrap dealer attempted to break it at Basti Adil Arian of Khanbela town in Liaqatpur tehsil, some 90kms from here.

As per police sources, a scrap dealer Siraj Ahmed bought an old mortar shell from a resident of Cholistan a few days back.

On Sunday night, Siraj and his son Sajjad were trying to break the shell to extract brass from it, when it exploded with a bang.

As a result Siraj died on the spot, while his son succumbs to his injuries while he was being shifted to the Liaquatpur Tehsil Headquarters Hospital.

Because of the explosion, the roof of Siraj’s house also caved in, the sources said.

They said the police had initially declared the incident as a cylinder blast, but the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) experts found that it was an old mortar shell.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2021