Lecturer held after protest in student suicide case

HYDERABAD: Police on Saturday arrested a university lecturer accused in the suicide of a third-year medical student after a nearly two-day sit-in protest blocked the Mirpurkhas-Hyderabad road, forcing authorities to act.

The arrest of lecturer Abid Laghari, named as the main accused among five individuals in an FIR registered on Thursday, was confirmed by police. The case pertains to the death of 21-year-old Fahmeeda Laghari, a student of Ibne Sina University, Mirpurkhas, with the accused charged with creating circumstances that allegedly led to her suicide.

The protest, staged at the Mirpurkhas toll plaza by the victim’s family and supporters, was called off after SSP Syed Fida Hussain Shah assured demonstrators that their demands — including an impartial investigation and the arrest of all nominated suspects — would be met. He said three parallel inquiries would be conducted, including one led by himself and another by Satellite Town police station, where the FIR was lodged on the complaint of the victim’s uncle, Iftikhar Laghari.

The FIR nominates a teacher, two students, and two unidentified individuals associated with the university. Initially, the accused, including Abid Laghari, had evaded arrest, triggering anger among the bereaved family and leading to the prolonged road blockade that disrupted traffic between Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad since Thursday night.

According to the complainant, the accused had allegedly attempted to extort bribes from the student, who had secured top positions in her first two academic years, in exchange for favourable marks. Upon her refusal, they allegedly resorted to harassment and threats. The complainant claimed the student had described the presence of a “mafia” within the university and had shared her concerns with family members.

He further alleged that the victim had reported the matter to the university principal multiple times but no action was taken. This was partly acknowledged by the university’s chancellor, Dr Syed Asad Kazmi, who said the principal had asked the student to submit a written complaint, adding that he later advised the principal that action should have been taken even on a verbal complaint.

The family said Fahmeeda appeared deeply distressed after returning home from the university on April 7 and had informed her parents about the alleged harassment. The following day, she did not attend classes. According to her uncle, she told her younger sister to pursue justice for her before allegedly taking her own life around noon, after which the family heard a gunshot from her room.

Her father, Intiazar Laghari, claimed that a day before her death, she had been confined in a room at the university for 30 to 40 minutes, during which she was allegedly harassed and threatened.

At the protest, academics and activists, including Prof Dr Arfana and rights activist Amar from Sindh University, criticised police for delaying arrests and questioned the neutrality of the inquiry committee led by the SSP, demanding instead a judicial commission to investigate the case.

The victim’s mother and sister also expressed concerns that crucial evidence could be lost, alleging that the student’s mobile phone — which they believe contains messages and voice notes linked to the accused — was taken into custody by police shortly after the incident.

A classmate of the deceased alleged that student complaints often fail to reach senior university leadership, claiming the chancellor had limited presence on campus and was difficult to access.

During the sit-in, protesters, including women and children, blocked both sides of the road, chanting slogans demanding justice for Fahmeeda and calling for systemic reforms to address alleged harassment and corruption in educational institutions.