SHEIKHUPURA, Jan 10: The cause of an expatriate woman's death is still shrouded in mystery even after the passage of four days. Karneela Bhatti (24) had contracted marriage with Pakistani expatriate Nisar Bhatti in Switzerland on Jan 11, 2002.

Nisar had gone to Switzerland on Sept 5, 2002, where he got a job in Kantec factory. After making acquaintance with Nisar, Karneela's family offered him to marry with their daughter. Some two years after their marriage, the couple decided to visit Pakistan and came to Sheikhupura on Dec 25, 2004.

The couple had to return to Switzerland on Jan 11, 2005. On Jan 7, Karneela was found dead in the bathroom of her husband's house in Muhallah Jahangirabad under mysterious circumstances.

City A-Division police reached the spot after three hours and found her body in a bedroom. Nisar told police that he was not present in the house at the time of the incident. However, Nisar's family members informed police that Karneela had died while taking a bath due to suffocation.

However, the police found no sign of gas or its leakage from the geyser in the bathroom. The police also observed that the ventilation system of the bathroom was properly functioning. Deceased Karneela was dragged out of the bathroom after her in-laws broke open its door, the police further observed.

But the police did not seal the bathroom which is an initial part of the investigation under such circumstances. Dr Fareeda Warraich carried out the autopsy in the city mortuary at 1am on Saturday which was against the law as it could not be done after sun set.

When contacted, Dr Fareeda said the cause of death would be revealed after receiving the report of chemical examiner from Lahore. Sources said that Nisar and his family were making efforts to get a favourable report of accidental death.

Scores of area women were also heard saying that Nisar and his family members had killed Karneela to take possession of her property in Switzerland besides getting her insurance amount.

They also alleged that police had taken their share from Nisar Bhatti to hide the crime. Meanwhile, Human Rights Commission chairman Chaudhry Ameer Afzal and Aurat Foundation chairman Tahira Malik demanded an impartial inquiry into the incident.