4 more devotees of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar Urs drown in canal, death toll reaches 27

Four more devotees of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar Urs drowned in Arral Wah Canal raising the death toll to 27. According to Edhi sources four devotees drowned in the canal on Saturday while taking bath to defeat the scorching heat. The bodies of the deceased stated to be hailing for different areas of Punjab, were recovered by rescue divers and buried as their identity could not be ascertained. It should be mentioned that the number of deaths during the Urs of the saint has reached twenty seven. Seventeen died of suffocation and ten died as they ventured to swim and escape from the scorching heat in the area. Sources said that though taking bath in Arral Wah Canal has been banned for devotees but there were no security personnel deployed to ensure the implementation of the ban and no divers were deployed by the administration to help rescue in case of any drowning incident. Meanwhile 10 persons were injured when a bus carrying devotees of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar turned turtle here on Saturday. According to police Sehwan bound bus coming from Rahimyar Khan overturned at National Highway near Khaipur city due to over speeding and poor condition of road. The police and villagers reached the scene of the accident and started rescue operation. The injured were shifted to Civil Hospital Khairpur. The injured hailed from Machka and Sadiqabad localities and they were going to Sehwan to attend the celebrations of 759th Urs of Hazarat Usman Mavendi generally known as Lal Shahbaza Qalandar.

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