DERA GHAZI KHAN, March 6: Anti-Terrorism Court No 2 on Wednesday handed down death sentence on 52 counts to the mastermind of Sakhi Sarwar shrine twin blasts and life imprisonment to a would-be suicide bomber, while acquitting four accused in the case.

The April 3 (2010) blasts at the Sakhi Sarwar shrine had claimed 52 lives while 172 people, including women and children, were injured in the incident.

ATC Judge Asif Majeed Awan announcing the verdict handed down death on 52 counts to the blasts’ mastermind, Behram alias Sufi Baba and life imprisonment to the teenager would-be bomber, Omar.

Omar was caught injured by the Border Military Police (BMP) after the first blast as his jacket could not explode completely.

The other four accused --- Asgher, Farooq, Saleem Jan and Bashir – were acquitted for lack of evidence against them.

The court completed the case hearing in 22 months and six days.

The blasts occurred during the Urs of Hazarat Syed Sultan Ahmad Sakhi Sarwar at the saint’s shrine located some 30 kilometers from here.

The first blast occurred in front of the shrine’s main gate where scores of devotees were paying tribute to the saint by performing dhamal, sort of a devotional dance.

The second suicide attacker (Omer) tried to explode his vest containing explosives 15 minutes after the first blast near the shrine’s stairs. However, the jacket partially exploded and the injured attacker was caught by BMP personnel.

The BMP and Punjab police registered two separate cases against terrorists.

Following the blasts, the district administration had banned the traditional dhamal in the shrine’s courtyard.