RAWALPINDI: A nursing student was found dead in her hostel room at Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) on Monday, police and hospital administration said.

Andaleeb Siddique, who was in her early 20s, belonged to Darkali Village in Gujar Khan. She was found dead by her roommate at about 12:30pm.

BBH Medical Superintendent Dr Asif Qadir Mir told Dawn that the night before, Andaleeb had been on duty at ward 19 and had gone back to her room after her duty was over. She was summoned by the school’s administration Monday morning after a complaint was made against her.

The doctor said the principal asked Andaleeb why she had left her ward without telling her seniors.

“It was not a serious issue and no one said anything harsh to her. The matter was not big enough to disturb her so much,” he said.

After talking to the principal, Ms Siddique returned to her room, and was later found dead. The door to their room had been left unlocked.

Andaleeb’s body was taken to District Headquarters Hospital for autopsy. Samples were sent to the laboratory to ascertain the cause of her death. It is thought she either died from a cardiac arrest or from poisoning.

A three-member team, headed by the additional medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Masood, was formed to inquire into the death.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2015