Daily Times

GUJRANWALA: On Tuesday, a judge remanded 18 more suspects in the Sialkot lynching case in police custody pending further investigation.

Because the anti-terrorism court (ATC) judge hearing the case was on leave, police brought the accused before a judicial magistrate. The magistrate turned the suspects over to the investigating officer and told him to bring them and other suspects before the ATC on January 3rd.

On January 3, a total of 85 people arrested in the case will be brought before the ATC.

Earlier on December 3, Priyantha Kumara, a 49-year-old Sri Lankan national working as a manager at a plant, was killed by a crowd of workers. Hundreds of unidentified persons, including factory workers, were named in a first information report (FIR).

Scores have since been arrested and are facing investigation. The Punjab government and the prosecution team in December decided to conduct the jail trial of the high-profile case due to security concerns.

The decision was made after a meeting between government officials and the prosecution team in order to maintain peace and order and prevent any unpleasant incidents.

The jail administration has been given orders to make the necessary preparations for the jail trial.