Pakistan: Imam arrested for 'inciting' boy to cut off his hand

The Okara Police has arrested the imam of a mosque on terror charges in connection with the incident involving a 15-year-old boy, who cut off his own hand believing he had committed blasphemy.

According to the Dawn, an First Information Report was registered against prayer leader Shabbir Ahmed on behalf of the state under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and Section 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The 15-year-old raised his hand by mistake after apparently mishearing the question posed by the imam with regard to Prophet Mohammed.

The imam had asked whether anyone in the gathering had stopped praying. The boy raised his hand as he misheard the question. The crowd present accused the boy of blasphemy and the imam pointed to the youth and alleged he was a 'blasphemer who was liable to be killed'.

The boy, in an act of atonement, went home and chopped off his hand, returned and presented it to the cleric on a plate. A video is in circulation that shows the buy being greeted by villagers in the street as his parents proclaim their pride.