Habibullah’s death still a mystery as police speak to school principal and family

The death of an 11-year-old boy who died after falling from the building of his school in Gulberg remained a mystery despite the passage of three days.

Seventh grader Habibullah died in mysterious circumstance after he fell from the second floor of Metropolis Boys Academy School on Monday. A special police team headed by Gulberg Division SP Shabbir Baloch has been formed to investigate, but the team has yet to make any headway.

Looking at the incident from three angles -- suicide, murder and accident – members of the team visited the school on Wednesday. “We have visited the school and also examined the CCTV footage but have found nothing so far that could prove it a murder,” said Samanabad SHO Iftikhar Ahmed, who is a member of the team. “We have also recorded the statements of the parents and school administration. There is no eyewitness so far.”

The officer said the family and the school administration were cooperating with the police, adding that nothing could be said exactly until the investigation was completed. The school has stayed shut since the tragic incident took place; however, its administration has decided to reopen it today.

The administration has requested the authorities concerned, including police, Rangers and the deputy commissioner, to ensure a proper investigation. “Every school student is like my son. Habib was too. I have lost my son as well. And I also want a proper investigation to punish if anyone is responsible,” explained school principal Owais Bhatti while talking to The News. “I was with them [Habib’s family] the entire day and everything was fine, but suddenly the family changed its narrative. I don’t know how and why.”

The principal said the deceased was a diabetic patient and, for the past one and a half years, his condition had been getting more critical. For a number of times, the school administration had taken him back home and admitted him to hospital. “Last November, we had finally told the family that we could not take him back because of his serious illness. But the family requested and submitted an undertaking that the school administration would not be responsible if anything happened to him.”

“The school’s assembly time is 7:45am and the incident occurred around 7:20am,” he said. “I do not want to use the word suicide because it will definitely hurt the family.” On the day of the incident, the family had claimed that the boy had a height phobia and was murdered; however, the family refused to talk when approached for comment.