Police register murder case after girl found dead at Lahore tuition centre

LAHORE: Police have registered a murder case after a 10-year-old girl was found dead in the bathroom of a private tuition centre in Lahore’s Ichhra area, with investigators expanding the inquiry into the circumstances of her death.

The case was lodged on the complaint of the child’s father, Muhammad Adnan. Police said the facts surrounding the incident would be determined after the post-mortem examination and forensic reports are completed.

The girl had left home to attend classes at a tuition centre being run in a house. She had reportedly been studying there for the last one-and-a-half years along with two other children from the same family. She was later found unconscious inside the washroom of the centre.

Eyewitnesses said teachers and family members realised the child was missing and, along with local residents, forced open the locked washroom door. She was taken out and rushed to hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead.

Speaking to the media, SP Model Town said an investigation had been started and that the motive and circumstances of the death would only become clear after the inquiry and post-mortem report were completed. Police officials said they were not ruling out any possibility at this stage and that all aspects of the case were being examined.

The girl’s father said he received a phone call informing him that his daughter had fallen unconscious at the tuition centre. He told media she was taken to hospital on a motorcycle with the help of local residents. He further claimed that doctors asked whether there had been marks on the child’s neck before the incident, but said there were no such marks when she had left home.

Appealing for justice, the father said he believed someone had harmed his daughter. He said:

"I was informed that my daughter had fainted. She was brought to the hospital on a motorcycle with the help of local people"

I believe someone has done this to my daughter. Who could do such a thing to children?

Separately, Punjab Law Minister Rana Muhammad Iqbal sought a report from the Lahore Capital City Police Officer over the incident. Expressing grief over the child’s death, he directed police to ensure a transparent investigation conducted on merit.

The minister also said the family would be provided justice and that those found responsible would face strict action. He said:

"The affected family will be provided every possible justice"

The incident comes less than two weeks after 14 children were killed when the roof of a tutoring centre collapsed in Lahore. The children who died in that incident were aged between 5 and 16, with most of them below the age of 9.