LAHORE: The Factory Area police lodged a case against 150-200 ‘attackers’ in the wake of death of a Christian boy here on Monday.

The police acted after residents of Walton Road allegedly tortured Pervez Masih following a minor dispute of standing in the street.

Police said Pervez suffered critical head injuries and died in hospital.

Police have mounted security in the area to defuse tension when members of the Christian community took to the street against the attack.

Police have registered a murder case against 150-200 ‘attackers’ after consulting a team of lawyers of the Christian community.

The complainant said some of the attackers were also holding weapons and fired warning shots.

Cantt division operation SP Esa Sukhera made it clear that it was a scuffle incident between the two sides and had nothing to do with religion.

He said on Sunday night a scuffle broke out between some members of the Christian community and locals. Consequently, Sobal Masih got injured and the Factory Area registered a case against the attackers, he said adding the suspects nurtured a grudge against them for reporting the matter to the police and again attacked some relatives of the Christians on Monday.

During the attack, the SP said Pervez Masih suffered critical head injuries and died later in a local hospital which prompted his relatives to lodge a protest.

“We responded timely, engaged the elders of the Christian community and defused the tension,” Esa Sukhera said adding that the police raided and arrested one of the prime suspects nominated in the FIR. He said teams had been sent to the area for the arrest of other attackers.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2022