First woman who contested Aligarh Muslim University polls found dead in India

Officials said that her body was completely decomposed when they found her

ALIGARH: Asma Javed, the first woman who had contested student polls at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in India four years ago, was found dead inside her apartment on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old, who was living alone in her Aligarh Civil Lines apartment, is suspected to have died four to five days ago. Her badly decomposed body was only found when neighbours complained to the police of foul smell from her apartment.

Javed's brother too suspected something was wrong when he called her repeatedly but found her mobile switched off.

"I hadn't spoken to her since May 9. The neighbours kept saying there was a horrible smell from her flat. Our uncle also stays nearby. I went to the police and we got the door opened," said her brother Salman Javed.

Read: Mysterious death: Woman found dead in Sutiyaro village

Shrikrishan, a senior police officer said that Javed's door was locked from the outside, which was seen as a strong sign that she may have been murdered.

"The body was completely decomposed. We are investigating how she died," said Shrikrishan.

Javed had ran for the post of students' president in 2011, and her family alleges her death could be linked to her campaigns for women students at the university.

However, she had completed her doctorate from the university two years ago, and according to her family, she wanted to join a teacher's course.

The article originally appeared on NDTV