LAHORE - The three-day celebration for the 971st death anniversary of Sufi Saint Syed Ali bin Osman Al-Hajvery popularly known as Data Ganj Baksh concluded on Saturday with full zeal and zest. However, two devotees were found dead under mysterious circumstances from the Darbar area.
The police have moved the bodies, yet to be identified, to the morgue and are investigating. Police investigators say they believe both the men aged 30 and 35 had come to the shrine to attend the annual Urs.
Sources said that unidentified swindlers poisoned both the men separately and fled away after collecting their belongings including mobile phone and cash.
Thousands of people travel, every year, from all over Pakistan to attend celebrations at the shrine of Data Ganj Baksh, during the annual religious festival. Data Ganj Baksh was a Persian Sufi scholar during the 11th century. He was born in Ghazni, Afghanistan in 990 AD during the Ghaznavid Empire and settled and died in Lahore, spreading Islam in South Asia. During the festival, the shrine is lit up with candles and lights, donated food is prepared for the people and Sufis dance and play music for hours.