PAKISTAN: Shrine keeper drugs, kills 20 devotees in deadly attack

A deadly attack at a shrine has left no less than 20 devotees dead in the Pakistani province of Punjab.

Reports say, Abdul Waheed, custodian of the Ali Muhammad Gujjar shrine, drugged the devotees before beating them with sticks and stabbing them to death late on Saturday.

According to local police officer Shaukat Manzoor who spoke with Al Jazeera, the shrine custodian who appeared to suffer from mental instability, “drugged everyone who was at the shrine, to have his way”.

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Initial reports indicated there were no survivors from the attack but local police officials later said at least two people are being treated at a local hospital.

“The wounded appear to be out of immediate danger,” Manzoor added.

Pervaiz Haider, a doctor at a Sargodha hospital, said most of the dead were hit in the back of the neck.

“There are bruises and wounds inflicted by a club and dagger on the bodies of victims,” he told Reuters news agency.

 

 

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