LAHORE, Sept 7: An initial probe into the death of a class-V student at Government Islah-i-Muashra School, Shadbagh has revealed that the boy died of food poisoning instead of alleged beating by the teacher.

Qaiser, 11, had fainted in the school on Wednesday and was taken to Mayo Hospital where he was pronounced dead. People had complained that he was severely thrashed by class teacher Muhammad Aslam that led to his death.

Following reports of the student’s death, EDO (Education) Dr Asghar Chaudhry constituted a two-member preliminary inquiry committee, comprising DEO Mahmood Ejaz and deputy DEO Mian Siddique.

Both the officials visited the school on Thursday morning and were informed that class teacher Muhammad Aslam was checking students’ homework and Qaiser was standing in a queue. After a while, the boy fainted and fell on the floor.

They were told that the teachers and students massaged Qaisar and called Rescue-1122 that took him to a nearby Fazal Hospital and later to Mayo where he was pronounced dead.

Meanwhile, his father was also called who took the body home without autopsy.

Dr Asghar Chaudhry told Dawn that the DEO asked Qaiser’s class fellows about the incident after sending the teacher out of the class. The students reportedly told the committee that the teacher did not beat Qaiser and he had fainted while standing in a queue.

Later, the committee members went to Qaiser’s home and made inquiries from his father who told them that his son suffered from food poisoning after eating something last night and was vomiting.

He said his son did not take his breakfast in the morning and went to the school after having a glass of milk.

As the school has been adopted by an NGO, CARE, the inquiry committee also questioned its coordinator who too denied that the teacher had thrashed the boy.

However, locals insisted that the teacher had thrashed the child that led to his death. They also went to the respective police station and demanded registration of an FIR. However, the SHO did not register the case, saying that neither there was any torture mark on the body nor autopsy was conducted.