LAHORE: An intermediate student was found dead in the washroom of a private education institute (academy) on Wahdat Road under mysterious circumstances here on Tuesday.

The body of the student, identified as Mohammad Naeem (22), was found with his nose bleeding. He was studying at Wahdat Road branch of one of the leading academies of the city.

Khurram, a relative of the deceased, said Naeem went to the academy on Monday, but did not return home. His family first tried to contact him on his mobile phone, but on finding the calls unattended, they visited the academy where the staff didn’t allow them to enter the premises, claiming that Naeem had already left, he said.

He said on failing to contact him, Naeem’s family again visited the institute as his class-fellows told them that his motorbike and bag was still there. However, the staff again refused to let them enter the building, Khurram said.

The staff asked them to see head of the academy in the morning.

On Monday morning, the family reported the matter to police. Police officials accompanying the family, went to the academy and after an extensive search of the premises, found the boy lying dead in a washroom.

The family insisted that Naeem was murdered, demanding registration of a case and arrest of his killer(s).

Iqbal Town Division

Superintendent of Police retired Capt Mohammad Ajmal rejected the family’s claim of Naeem being murdered, saying the washroom from where the body was recovered was found locked from inside by the police.

The SP said the bleed from nose of the deceased showed that either he had taken some drug or was suffering from some serious disease which led to his death.

He said the doctors who examined the body were also not certain about the cause of his death.

He said actual cause of death would be known in the light of the postmortem examination report.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2020