NAROWAL: The Sialkot police arrested 33 more suspects in the murder case of Sri Lankan citizen Priyantha Kumara on Friday.

The suspects were presented in the Gujranwala anti-terrorism court where judge Natasha Naseem remanded them in police custody for 17 days. The court ordered the suspects be presented again on Jan 3. A heavy contingent of police as well as Elite Force was deployed outside the court.

The police has so far arrested 85 suspects in Mr Kumara’s murder case and obtained their physical remand. Thirty-four of the suspects will be presented in the anti-terrorism court on Dec 21 after their 14-day physical remand ended, while 18 others will be presented again on Dec 28.

According to police sources, the key suspect involved in the murder of Mr Kumara had been arrested and was being interrogated. The police is not disclosing any information about the suspect and progress in the investigation.

The sources added that further raids were not being conducted to arrest more workers of Rajco Industries where Mr Kumara was a senior manager. Meanwhile, operations at the factory are said to have resumed.

On Dec 3, a mob comprising hundreds of protesters, including employees of the factory, had tortured Kumara to death and later burnt his body over allegations of blasphemy.

The brutal killing drew widespread condemnation from political circles and human rights bodies.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2021