MANSEHRA, Oct 7: The residents of Tarangri Bala area blocked Mansehra-Oghi Road to all kinds of vehicular traffic here on Sunday to protest the killing of a prayer leader.

Maulvi Noor Hayat, the prayer leader, was shot dead by unidentified persons in the small hours of Sunday. Family sources said that Maulvi Hayat went out of home for some work and did not return.

Sources said that unidentified persons sprayed the cleric with bullets and managed to escape.

Following the incident, the angry relatives of the cleric and local people held a rally and blocked Mansehra-Oghi Road for one hour. The protesters were demanding immediate arrest of the killers. They reopened the road to traffic after police high-ups assured them that the killers would be taken to task soon.

The body of Maulvi Hayat, said to be a close friend of MPA Mufti Kifayatullah, was sent to his native village in Allai area of Battagram district for burial after carrying out his postmortem at King Abdullah Teaching Hospital.

Meanwhile, the people of Balakot would hold mass prayers and a rally to mark the seventh anniversary of October 8, 2005 earthquake on Monday.

About 17,000 residents of the area were killed in the tragedy seven years ago. The mass prayers would be held at the local government high school where the mass grave of more than 70 students is situated.

The Awami Action Committee of Balakot, which had earlier announced to restrict entry of ministers and advisers in Balakot on the occasion, would also hold a rally against Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority.