Lahore police have arrested eight members of the Ahmadi community for allegedly preaching their beliefs in the Badami Bagh area of the Pakistani city.

Police acted after a violent mob, believed to be of the members of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), allegedly attacked a factory, owned by an Ahmadi man, reports Dawn News.

There were reports that the attackers held some members of the Ahmadi community hostage, damaged the furniture and some parts of the factory, the newspaper.

The situation reportedly turned ugly after the attackers thrashed the Ahmadis and one of them called police for help.

Police, however, denied the attack by the TLP men.

Police arrived and took eight Ahmadis into custody from the spot and shifted them to the undisclosed location, the sources told Dawn News, adding that a delegation of the community later met the police high-ups and complained to them about the local police’s excessive action.