Police launch homicide investigation after child is found unconscious in tuition centre washroom, while forensic and post-mortem reports are awaited to determine the cause of death.
LAHORE: Police have registered a murder case after a 10-year-old girl was found dead inside the bathroom of a private tuition centre in Lahore’s Ichhra area, prompting a full-scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
The case was filed on the complaint of the victim’s father, Muhammad Adnan, while investigators said the exact cause of death would only be established after post-mortem and forensic examinations are completed.
How was the child found?
According to police, the girl had left her home to attend classes at a private tuition centre where she had reportedly been studying for the past one-and-a-half years alongside two other children from the same family.
After she was reported missing during class, teachers, family members and local residents searched the premises before forcing open the locked washroom door, where the child was found unconscious.
She was immediately shifted to a nearby hospital, but doctors pronounced her dead on arrival.
What have investigators found so far?
Police said investigators have begun collecting forensic evidence and are examining all possible angles to determine the circumstances of the child’s death.
Officials confirmed that marks were found on the girl’s neck, prompting investigators to broaden the scope of the inquiry. Authorities said the motive and cause of death would become clear only after the completion of forensic analysis and the post-mortem examination.
The police have not ruled out any possibility and said no conclusions would be drawn until the investigation is complete.
What did the victim’s family say?
The victim’s father said he received a telephone call informing him that his daughter had fallen unconscious at the tuition centre.
He told reporters that she was transported to the hospital on a motorcycle with the assistance of local residents.
The father questioned the circumstances surrounding his daughter’s death, saying there were no visible marks on her neck when she left home for class and expressing his belief that she had been murdered. He appealed to the Punjab government to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
How has the Punjab government responded?
Punjab Law Minister Rana Muhammad Iqbal sought an immediate report from the Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) and directed authorities to conduct a transparent, impartial and merit-based investigation.
Expressing sorrow over the child’s death, the minister assured the victim’s family that justice would be ensured and warned that strict legal action would be taken against anyone found responsible.
Why has the incident raised fresh concerns?
The tragedy comes less than two weeks after another fatal incident involving a tuition centre in Lahore, where 14 children, aged between 5 and 16, were killed after the roof of a coaching facility collapsed.
The latest incident has renewed concerns over child safety and security at private educational institutions, with investigators now working to establish whether the girl’s death was the result of foul play.