Web Report
PESHAWAR – Several arrests have been made since the barbaric murder of Mardan University student Mashal Khan.
On Monday, IG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Salahuddin Mehsud stated that concrete evidence could not be found against the deceased Mashal Khan as well as students Abdullah and Zubair regarding the allegations leveled against them, on the basis of which legal action could be taken.
Speaking to media personnel, IG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said that police had nominated a total number of 20 suspects in the FIR. Out of the 20, 16 had been taken into custody. A total of 12 more suspects have been identified, he said.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police requested FIA’s assistance to identify the real facebook account of slain Mardan University student Mashal Khan.
In a briefing, the IG said, police has decided to hand over the responsibility of finding out Mashal Khan’s real social media account to FIA.
Majority of the important information has been gathered, the investigation will now be further handled by FIA, added the IG.
IG further disclosed that another student who was also attacked with Mashal Khan, Abdullah, had rejected the allegations against him. He said that Abdullah had not been granted a chance to defend himself or present his point of view.
“Today, Abdullah presented himself before the court and recorded his statement regarding the issue,” he said.
IG said that in general, 22 suspects had been arrested. He said that as far as social media was concerned, help from the FIA had been sought.
“The investigation is headed in a positive direction, hopefully a good result will be obtained,” he said.
Salahuddin Mehsud informed that Abdullah had revealed in court the full details of what had occurred on the day when the lynching had taken place in Abdul Wali Khan University.
Mashal Khan, a journalism student, was stripped, beaten, shot, and thrown from the second floor of his hostel at the Abdul Wali Khan University in Mardan a couple of days ago.
Graphic video footage from the scene shows dozens of men outside the hostel kicking and hurling projectiles at a body sprawled on the ground.
Mashal’s murder drew condemnations from the Prime Minister and other prominent personalities.