Hindu trader killed as communal tensions remain high in Sindh's Ghotki district

A day after a Hindu man was arrested for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran, one of the two Hindu traders today succumbed to his injuries after being shot by a mob in Sindh's Ghotki district.

The Hindu traders were shot while having tea at a stall in Ghotki's town of Mirpur Mathelo, reports the Dawn.

The police said that 17-year-old Dewan Sateesh Kumar succumbed to his injuries while his friend Avinash is in a critical condition.

"A local trader Dewan Satesh Kumar has been killed," the Dawn quoted Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ghotki Masood Ahmed Bangash as saying.

He added the police with the help of Rangers are trying to defuse the tense situation, which emerged after the villagers in Mehran Samejo near Daharki caught a Hindu man desecrating pages of the Quran.

The Hindu community here reportedly demanded the protection of their lives and properties in wake of the communal tensions.

The locals here said the Hindu suspect Amar Lal is a drug addict and his mental condition is unstable, adding that he converted to Islam a month ago.

The leaders of various religious parties, including the Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), have demanded severe punishment for the accused.

Meanwhile, all big and small towns including Daharki, Mirpur Mathelo, Ubauro and Khan Pur Mehar of Ghotki district remained closed today due to communal tensions.