SARGODHA: The custodian of a shrine in Sargodha confessed to torturing and murdering at least 20 disciples, including four women, on Saturday, police said.
Five of the deceased belong to the same family.
The suspect, Abdul Waheed, who is custodian of Darbar Ali Muhammad Gujjar shrine in Chak-95 of Sargodha, used a dagger and sticks to kill his victims, Sargodha Deputy Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatta said.
Speaking to Geo News, Chatta said Waheed and his accomplices first intoxicated the disciples then tortured them with machetes and batons, eventually killing them.
The DC added he believed Abdul Waheed suffers from a ‘critical mental disorder’.
Two women and a man, although injured, managed to escape from the shrine and reported the horrendous crime to police, said Chatta.
‘They would have poisoned me’
The police official quoted Waheed as saying that he killed his disciples because according to him they poisoned to death his spiritual leader, Ali Muhammad, two years ago. Waheed has told the police that had he not killed them, they would have poisoned him too.
Earlier the DC had said Waheed claimed his victims underwent ‘spiritual cleansing’ after he tortured them.
The custodian worked for the Election Commission in Sargodha – his office card was found in his possession, the official informed. According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, Waheed retired from service a year ago.
Another official told the media the deceased people’s bodies were found unclothed.
The victims hailed from different areas of Punjab.
The bodies of the deceased were shifted to the District Headquarters hospital, while the shrine was cordoned off for a search operation.
However, the Saturday night incident does not seem to be the first at the shrine; Rescue 1122 Incharge Mazhar Shah informed the media that locals said Waheed would go to the shrine once or twice a month and torture people during his visit.
CM Punjab takes notice
Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif took immediate notice of the incident and formed an inquiry committee comprising regional police officers Sunday morning.
The committee has been told to submit a report on the heinous crime within 24 hours. The chief minister has also ordered Punjab Auqaf and Religious Affairs Minister Zaeem Qadri to visit the site of the incident.
