Lahore: man had arms chopped off 'after refusing to convert to Islam'

A Christian man in Lahore reportedly had his arms chopped off after refusing to denounce Jesus and convert to Islam while in the hands of fanatics.

According to Legal Evangelical Association Development (LEAD), a Christian organisation in Pakistan, Aqeel Masih, who worked at a petrol station in the LDA quarter area of Lahore, was kidnapped by Islamists before having his armed severed.

"[The] extremists exerted pressure on him to abandon Christianity and convert to Islam," LEAD said. "Aqeel however, did not give up on his Christian faith and refused to comply with their demand. Notwithstanding...his rebuttal, they chopped off his both arms, and absconded."

Masih has reportedly filed a lawsuit against the extremists. Yesterday, he appeared at the Ghalib Market police station where police moved him away from inquiring media representatives.

Meanwhile, a senior police investigator told The Nation that three suspects are being held over the incident but the official denied the story about extremists cutting off Masih's arms because he refused to convert to Islam.

Instead, police officer Ammara Athar claimed that police believed that Masih's arms were "chopped off in a train accident".

"The circumstantial evidences do not support the claims of the victim. Apparently, it seemed that the man lost his arms in a train accident," Athar said. "We have yet to testify the claim of Aqil, we believe his arms were chopped off in a train accident."

The Nation reported that police sources said Masih is an "addict" who due to a drug overdose went near the train which chopped off his arms.