Madrassa student tortured by teacher dies in Karachi

A minor boy who was critically injured after allegedly being tortured by a madrassa teacher in Karachi's Aziz Brohi Goth in Manghopir has died, police said on Monday. The incident had occurred on November 30 last year.

Manghopir police had earlier registered a case for causing injuries and arrested the teacher, who later secured bail. Following the child’s death, police said charges in the case would be amended to include murder and other relevant sections of the law.

According to Manghopir SHO Khushnawaz, the incident took place on November 30, when a six-year-old student, identified as Hassan, was allegedly assaulted by his madrassa teacher, Qari Allah Bachayo. A case was registered on the complaint of the child’s family, and the accused was arrested but later released on bail.

The injured child had been under treatment since the incident and was admitted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where he succumbed to his injuries on Sunday. The SHO said that after the child’s death, Section 302 (murder) along with other applicable provisions would be added to the FIR, and efforts would be made to re-arrest the accused.

Hassan’s father, Habibur Rehman, said his son was studying at a madrassa in Aziz Brohi Goth when the teacher struck him on the head with a stick, causing a fracture to his skull. “We first took him to a nearby clinic, where X-rays revealed a crack in his skull. He was then shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and later referred to Jinnah Hospital’s children ward,” he said.

He added that the accused teacher was currently on bail and demanded justice. “My son would scream in pain during treatment. After his burial, we will pursue further legal action,” he said.

The victim’s uncle said the teacher had justified the assault by claiming the child was being mischievous. “Children do mischief, but that does not mean you break a child’s skull with a stick. What kind of justice is this?” he questioned, demanding strict punishment for the teacher to prevent such incidents in the future. The family strongly condemned the incident and urged authorities to ensure exemplary punishment for the accused.