MANSEHRA, May 14: Police on Monday arrested cleric Maulana Faizul Bari from the courtroom after additional sessions judge Abid Sarwar cancelled his pre-arrest bail in a murder case.

Another accused, JUI-F MPA Mufti Kifayatullah, is at large.

The two were wanted by police over the killing of education department official Mohammad Waseem, who died in an exchange of fire between two religious groups during an Eid Miladun Nabi procession on February 5 this year. The incident, which took place outside Sunehri Mosque in Loharbanda area, also left 10 people critically injured.

In his report, Maulana Abdul Malik, a leader of a group, claimed that Maulana Abdul Bari fired at the procession after being instigated by MPA Mufti Kifayatullah, who was present inside the mosque.

After the killing, the district administration banned entry of the clerics of the two sides to Mansehra to ease tensions.