MARDAN, Sept 27 The local police have arrested six activists of a banned religious outfit at the posh Sheikh Maltoon Town where they were reportedly busy in collecting donations for 'jihad' in the tribal areas.

The detained men, identified as Qazi Hanifullah, Roz Amin, Sardar Bahader, Khurshed, Muhammad Inam and Hamid, reportedly belonged to Jaishe Muhammad.

They were collecting donations at a local mosque when the police arrested them.

Police took a vehicle and receipt books in possession. The activists were presented in court of the district and sessions judge Mardan. The court rejected the application for physical remand and sent them to jail.

However, a relative of accused Qazi Hanif, who belonged to Mahallah Qazikhel, Hoti, has rejected the charges and claimed that the accused had gone to a friend's house at Sheikh Maltoon Town for Iftar, and were not involved in collecting donations for jihadi activities.