KARACHI, June 6: The lingering dispute over the possession of Rehmania Mosque in sector 11-G, New Karachi, took a serious turn on Friday when police resorted to teargas shelling and baton-charge on the agitating protesters and arrested 35 activists of Sunni Tehrik.

The protesters gathered outside Raza Academy, located some 300 yards from the mosque, and served an ultimatum on the administration to seal off the disputed mosque within two hours.

An armed clash between Sunni Tehrik and Tehrik Ahl-i-Hadith on May 23, over the possession of Rehmania Mosque, had claimed lives of two people. More than nine others, including DIG Operations Karachi Tariq Jamil, had suffered bullet wounds during the violence.

On Friday, the ST activists started agitation against the town administration and police after their ultimatum lapsed. They pelted vehicles with stones and lit bonfire blocking the main road and disrupting traffic movement. They also stoned shops in the area forcing their closure.

Law enforcement agencies tried to bring the situation under control but the unruly mob attacked the personnel, who responded with teargas shelling and baton-charge to disperse them.

The police and rangers managed to restore order after two hours and got the road reopened for traffic. The police picked up 35 people for damaging public property, breach of peace and arson.

A senior police official said: “The police and rangers are in the area to maintain law and order.”

Godhra camp remained in the grip of tension till late Friday as the people feared that anything could spark violence again.

An ST leader demanded of the government to seal off the disputed Rehmania Mosque in Godhra Camp. He contended that the affairs of the mosque were being run by a group that did not have following by the majority of the area people.

He also demanded immediate arrest of the killers of those who died in the May 23 incident. Meanwhile, a leader of Tehrik Ahl-i-Hadith, who also demanded immediate arrest of the killers, said that an attempt on the life of the mosque’s Pesh Imam was made a couple of weeks back but the police had not yet arrested the attacker.