LAHORE: The cross-examination of eight eyewitnesses was completed on Wednesday in the lynching case of Sri Lankan citizen Priyantha Kumara over blasphemy allegations in Sialkot.

An anti-terrorism court is holding jail trial in the case on a day-to-day basis.

The court summoned two more eyewitnesses in the case for cross-examination on Thursday (today).

The victim, 49-year-old Priyantha Kumara, was tortured to death and his body was set on fire on Dec 3, 2021 by furious workers of the Rajco Industries garment factory, where he was a manager.

The prosecution in its challan included 40 witnesses besides videos, digital evidence, DNA evidence and forensic evidence. The witnesses also include Mr Kumara’s colleague who tried his best to save him from the mob.

According to the challan, footage from 10 digital video recorders in the factory was sent for forensic analysis and the accused were traced via social media videos and footage recovered from the mobile phones of 56 accused.

An FIR was registered against 900 workers at the Uggoki police station for aggravated murder and burning of the body against dozens of unidentified people under terrorism and murder provisions.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2022