Body of KU employee found in water conduit of varsity's residential area

40-year-old employee of varsity was missing for five days

KARACHI: A drowned and decomposed body of a Karachi University employee was found in a water conduit in the residential area of the varsity on Sunday.

According to the police, the victim had been missing for the last five days.

The deceased was identified as 40-year-old Niaz Ahmed, father of two sons and one daughter, posted at the KU administration department as a messenger and resident of the Staff Colony in KU. He is said to have been suffering from mental pressure due to his job.



A KU spokesperson told The Express Tribune that the victim’s services with the varsity were recently resumed after a spell of suspension from the Examination Department during the tenure of Dr Moazzam Ali Khan as the registrar. Though his services were resumed, an inquiry against him had been pending.

The body was found after a herder informed the security about a stench emanating from a conduit over the bulk water supply line running through KU, said Campus Security Officer Asif. Upon inquiring, he said, a body was seen floating in the waters below.

Ahmed’s brother lodged a complaint with the security office on March 22, contending that his brother had not come home for the past two days. “After the registration of the complaint, the family was also advised to inform the police,” said Asif. “But sadly, he was found [today] in this condition.”



The conduit from which the deceased has been recovered is on an unused piece of land at the varsity behind the flats for staffers. The area is not commonly used and bushes are scattered around it. Only a few people, including security and water board employees and herders, use the passage.

Police consider the case an act of suicide. Mobina Town SHO Changez Khan said that as per initial findings, the victim was a ‘psychotic patient’ and his condition had worsened in the last few months. “We are waiting for the post-mortem report to ascertain the facts.”

During investigations, if it is found that the victim committed suicide, the case will no longer be chased after. However, if there are some findings about it being a murder, it will then be investigated properly. “So far, it appears [to be] a suicide,” the SHO said, citing the victim’s troubles with his job.



The campus security officer, however, refuted the claim that the victim was a psychotic patient, mentioning his brief interaction with him outside the Administration Block at KU. “We just shook hands with each other and he appeared fine to me,” he said. “Perhaps the family would know if there were some problems with him.”

A neighbour told The Express Tribune that Niaz had received his joining letter some time back but had not resumed the job. “He was told by his department officials to wait as at the moment [as] there was no space for him to be accommodated. He was also having financial troubles.”