A Christian couple accused of burning a Koran were tortured and burned to death by an angry Muslim mob in eastern Pakistan.
The two victims, Shahzad Masih and Shama Masih, were in their 20s and had four children, The New York Times reported. They worked at a brick kiln in the Punjab Province and were accused of destroying the Koran after fellow employees said they saw burned pages in their trash bin, the newspaper said.
Word spread. Local clerics drummed up village anger and encouraged hundreds to gather outside the couple’s home, The New York Times reported.
Witnesses said the mob then smashed in the couple’s door and dragged them into the streets. They were then tortured, and their bodies brought to the kiln and incinerated, The New York Times reported.
“By the time police arrived, the couple was already dead,” Jawad Qamar, the local police chief, told local media outlets. “Their bodies were totally burned.”
He also said criminal charges have been filed against 460 people, and so far, 48 have been arrested, The New York Times reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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