MANSEHRA, Jan 17: Police arrested a fake faith healer here on Sunday night for deceiving people in the name of spiritualism.

“Asif Mehmood used to deceive people by the Kalma and name of Allah, he has inscribed on his body with colours. He claims that it is a miracle,” SHO Mohammad Khursheed told journalists here on Monday.

He said that they arrested the fake faith healer after a panel of doctors confirmed that the holy verses were inscribed on his body with the help of colours. “Artificial colours are used as blood to deceive people and earn money,” he added.

The SHO said that police arrested him on the complaints of people, who alleged that he was fleecing poor people with his tricks. “Even after arrest the man was insisting that whatever written on his body was a divine act,” he said.

A panel of doctors, headed by medical superintendent of King Abdullah Teaching Hospital Dr Niaz Mohammad, was constituted to dig out truth about the inscription on the body of Mr Mehmood. The doctors confirmed that the holy verses were tattooed on the body, he said.

He added that FIR was registered against the fake faith healer under section 419/20 and 295 A. The accused was also produced before journalists. He said that he was living in Baldia Town of Karachi and deceived people there as a faith-healer.