SWAT: A minor seminary student died from critical injuries after allegedly being beaten up by their teachers in Chaliyar village of Khwazakhela tehsil here on Monday evening.

Farhan returned to the madressah after remaining absent for a few days, according to his family and class fellows.

They said the suspects included Mohammad Umar, his son, Ehsanullah, and Abdullah.

“They [teachers] started hitting Farhan in front of us all before dragging him into a sideroom,” a visibly-shaken student told Dawn.

He added that he was later called by those teachers to bring a glass of water.

“Farhan drank little water, put his head in my lap and went silent,” he said.

He said he didn’t know the reason for the punishment of Farhan, who was a reserved yet brilliant student.

The student was rushed to a nearby hospital but doctors declared him dead.

His uncle, Saddar Ayaz, claimed that Farhan didn’t want to return to the seminary.

“Despite his reluctance, I took him to the madressah and handed him over to the teachers. In the evening, one of them phoned me and said Farhan has died after collapsing in the toilet,” he said.

When contacted, spokesman for the district police officer Moin Fayaz said all three suspects were booked before one, Abdullah, was arrested.

He said efforts were under way to arrest the other suspects.

“We’re holding a thorough investigation into this highly disturbing case to ensure dispensation of justice to the child and his family,” he said.

The incident caused widespread public outrage, with elders, human rights organisations and child protection activists calling for urgent madressah reforms and oversight.

Also in the day, a seminary student was allegedly assaulted by his two teachers in Mingora here.

The incident was reported in a madressah located opposite the Circuit House in Gulkada No 1.

The Saidu Sharif police said they had arrested the suspects after registering an FIR of the offence, and were interrogating them.

They said the student with serious injuries was shifted to a hospital.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2025