SHEIKHUPURA/LAHORE, Aug 4 Two people were killed when a mob of hundreds of people, including factory workers, attacked a leather processing unit near Muridke on Tuesday over alleged desecration of Quranic verses. Leather unit owner Sheikh Najeeb Zafar is among the dead.
Police however suspected that desecration issue had been used to instigate workers of East Leather Factory, Khatiala Virkan, and people living in nearby villages to settle some personal score. Police said there had been a simmering dispute between the management and workers over the wages issue.
At least 24 assailants were apprehended in a late-night development.
Sheikhupura DPO Rai Tahir said Qasim Mughal, a representative of workers, held a meeting with Najeeb Zafar on wages. He said Zafar was rolling a calendar carrying Quranic verses at that time.
The DPO said Mughal accused Zafar of desecrating the verses. Later, Mughal conveyed his accusations to fellow workers and nearby villagers through his cell phone. They said that Shabbir, a village prayer leader, played a major role in instigating the villagers through the loudspeaker. He announced that Zafar tore apart the holy book and threw its pages in a nearby drain.
Police said the workers held a demonstration inside the factory, while the villagers blocked Sheikhupura Road.
When the protesting workers stormed Zafar's office, security guards confronted them and reportedly opened fire. Some workers snatched the gun from a security guard and returned the fire. The crossfire left Zafar and labourer Muzammil Shah dead.
The protesters later ransacked the factory and set fire to it. Police reached the scene and dispersed the protesters.
Dawn learnt that Zafar had a quarrel with some people over a business issue two weeks ago. There were reports that he had been facing business-related disputes with his family business partners.
Zafar's body was brought to Mayo Hospital's city morgue for a post-mortem examination at around 1040pm. A source at the morgue told Dawn that two shots had been fired at Zafar that caused his death.
