DADU, June 26: Two devotees of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar drowned on Wednesday while taking a bath in a watercourse near Sehwan, where the three-day Urs of the saint will begin on Friday.

A ban is imposed on bathing and swimming in the Indus river, Sapna lake, Simm Nullah and Aral Wah near the town, but people allege that policemen posted to enforce the ban allow people to enjoy swimming for small sums.

Edhi volunteers fished out of Simm Nullah the two bodies. One victim was identified as 40-year-old Gul Mohammad, son of Ghulam Mohammad, resident of Fatehpur. The other man, about 50, could not be identified immediately.

Deputy commissioner of Jamshoro Sajid Jamal Abro, also chairman of the Urs committee of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, had imposed Section 144 of the criminal procedure code on bathing and swimming in water near Sehwan town on Tuesday. But police officials assigned to enforce the ban are reportedly allowing swimming enthusiasts, mainly devotees, to flout the ban.