n an incident that has jolted the entire Swat valley, a 13-year-old boy named Farhan lost his life after allegedly enduring hours of brutal torture at the hands of his teachers at a religious seminary in Chilyar village of Khwazakhela tehsil.

Farhan, known for his quiet demeanour and intelligence, had belonged to Madyan, a town about 25 kilometers from Khwazakhela. He had only recently returned to the seminary after a brief absence.

According to police and eyewitness accounts, the seminary’s head, his son and another staff member were beating Farhan to punish him for absence. What began as a reprimand quickly escalated into a horrifying assault. Students told police investigators that the ordeal started after Asr prayers. After finishing his tea, the head cleric summoned Farhan and began beating him. The violence, witnesses said, continued until Maghrib.

Farhan was reportedly hung upside down and flogged in a locked room. Some of the other students burst into tears but were threatened into silence. When the seminary head grew tired, another teacher took over. Farhan’s screams echoed through the building for hours, but no one intervened.

Eventually, he fainted. He apparently died on the spot. He was later rushed to Khwazakhela Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. A preliminary medical report and police investigation mentioned clear signs of severe physical torture.

The incident has sparked outrage across Swat. Investigators say that students at the seminary were frequently subjected to beatings and forced to beg from house to house.

Farhan’s death is a grim reminder of the abuse that can lie behind the façade of religious instruction. His story has stirred grief and fury across the valley and reignited calls for a long overdue crackdown on unregulated seminaries.

A murder case has been registered under Section 302 against four suspects. One arrest has been made. During the investigation, police recovered chains and sticks believed to have been used in the assault. Nine staff members have been taken into custody under the Child Protection Act. At least 160 children have been rescued and reunited with their families. The assistant commissioner of Khwazakhela has sealed the seminary.

Farhan’s family says there may be more to the story. His uncle told police and the media that the madrasa head’s son had been making sexual demands of the boy.

After a brief absence, Farhan was unwilling to join the seminary. This prompted his uncle to accompany him to the seminary, where he registered a verbal complaint. The head cleric reassured him but later Farhan was tortured to death.

The death has ignited mass protests in the area. Hundreds of residents of Khwazakhela have taken to the streets, demanding swift justice and systemic reform. A local jirga has set the authorities a deadline until Friday to arrest the main suspects and ensure accountability.

Ghairat Khan, a jirga member and resident of Khwazakhela, articulated the community’s demands. “First, we want the immediate arrest of everyone involved in Farhan’s murder. Second, we demand that all madrasas be registered and monitored like other schools. The government must keep a strict watch on what goes on behind those walls.”

“There is a madrasa on nearly every corner now. Some resemble torture cells more than centres of learning. There is no oversight. Children are beaten and humiliated and no one is made to answers for it,” he said. “This must stop. The government needs to create a mechanism to regulate and monitor every religious school.”

He also raised the question of unchecked proliferation of unregulated seminaries. “There is a madrasa on nearly every corner now. Some of those resemble torture cells more than centres of learning. There is no oversight. Children are beaten and humiliated and no one is made to answer for it,” he said. “This must stop. The government needs to create a mechanism to regulate and monitor every religious school.”

Jamal Shah, a Swat native, spoke to The News on Sunday by phone and condemned the incident in the strongest terms. “What was done to Farhan is inhuman,” he said. “No one should treat even their enemies this way. He was tortured by men who claimed to teach religion.”

Farhan’s death is a grim reminder of the abuse that can lie behind the façade of religious instruction. His story has stirred grief and fury across the valley and reignited calls for a long overdue crackdown on unregulated seminaries.

As tensions simmer in Khwazakhela, one thing is clear; the community is no longer willing to stay silent. A delegation of scholars from the Wafaq-ul-Madaris Al-Arabia Pakistan has arrived in Swat and met with the deputy commissioner. They expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident in Chaliyar, Khwazakhela, and distanced themselves from the perpetrator of the crime.

“Before sending their children to a seminary, it is the parents’ responsibility to verify whether it is registered and whether the environment is suitable for their children,” said Khalid Mehmood, a former nazim and resident of Saidu Sharif.

The writer is a multimedia producer He tweets @daudpasaney