Case of LUMHS student's alleged suicide remains shrouded in mystery

3rd-year LUMHS student was found shot dead in his hostel room on Thursday

HYDERABABD: In the case of death by gunshot of a student of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), police cited the incident as suicide in the initial report submitted before the judicial magistrate on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the roommate of deceased, Muhammad Atif Arain, 21 years old, 3rd year MBBS student, says he had neither seen a pistol in their hostel room nor had he known of Arain's suicidal tendencies.

Arain was found shot dead in Ibn-e-Seena Hostel's room number 61 on Thursday afternoon. He had a gunshot wound to the right side of his head. His dead body lay on his bed with a handgun in his right hand which was placed on his right thigh.

Hostel student found dead in LUMHS

Although it was initially believed to be a suicide, some questions like the body's posture and that no one heard the gunshot, among some other clues, raised doubts. In the initial report submitted to the magistrate, Assistant Sub-Inspector Peeral Khan Solangi stated that Arain had taken his own life.

However, on Sindh IG Kaleem Imam's directives, a team has been formed under DSP Nazar Muhammad Deeshak to conduct the inquest. The team reportedly detained the roommate, Abdul Rafay Baig, for interrogation on Saturday. He has been called again on Monday when Arain's parents will also record their statements before the team.

According to police sources, Baig informed them that he knocked on the room's door after 2pm on Thursday. When Arain did not respond for several minutes, he informed the hostel's security guard.

"In their last exchange of messages past Thursday midnight, Arain told Baig that he shouldn't have left hostel for his home. When Baig asked why Arain replied that he would know tomorrow," told the official, quoting the messages. Baig sent his last message to Arain at 2.09pm on Thursday asking the latter to open the door but he did not get a reply.

He told that Baig informed the police that he never saw a pistol in their room. "Although Atif shared some family problems it never appeared that there is something so grave in his life for which he would kill himself," the official told quoting Baig.

The police officials conducting the inquiry are yet to disclose how a student managed to take a pistol to his hostel room and who is responsible for the security lax.

The question about no one hearing or reporting of having heard the gunshot from the hostel also requires an answer. The pistol found from the room is licensed on the name of Arain's father.

LUMHS has also formed a separate inquiry committee, consisting three professors and as many officers from the administration. The committee will initiate probe from January 21.