‘Murdered’ Faizan Ahmed’s family welcomes Assam CM’s demand for CBI probe
DIBRUGARH: The family of Faizan Ahmed, a third-year mechanical engineering student at IIT-Kharagpur, who was found dead in his hostel room in October 2022, has welcomed Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s decision to request an inquiry by the central bureau of investigation (CBI) into his death.
Recently, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote a letter to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday (June 17), seeking a transparent and fair investigation following recent forensic findings.
Rehana Ahmed, Faizan’s mother, expressed hope that justice would prevail with CBI’s involvement in the case.
She said, “We are hopeful that those who have murdered my son will be booked as per law. It took three years to establish that Faizan was murdered. We are grateful to Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his intervention.”
Faizan Ahmed’s death initially raised suspicions of foul play, prompting his parents to demand a thorough investigation.
The recent second post-mortem report submitted to the Calcutta high court revealed gunshot and stab wounds on Faizan’s neck.
Faizan, a 23-year-old third-year mechanical engineering student from Tinsukia district in Assam, was found dead in an unassigned room at Lala Lajpat Rai Hostel of IIT-Kharagpur on October 14, 2022.
Assam CM wrote, “In view of the shocking findings of the latest forensic report, it is imperative that the perpetrators of the horrific crime as well as any other person involved in concealing the crime, are brought to book, thereby ensuring justice to the deceased and closure to the grief-stricken parents. I, therefore, request you to kindly hand over the case to the CBI for a transparent and fair investigation of the crime.”
Initially, his death was ruled a suicide, but his family alleged foul play, citing instances of ragging he had reported on campus.
Following pleas from Faizan’s mother, the Calcutta High Court ordered a special investigation team (SIT) to re-examine the case.
In May 2023, the court ordered the exhumation of Faizan’s body for a second autopsy, which ultimately revealed the signs of murder.
The forensic examination conducted by Dr Gupta disclosed additional critical findings.
The right temporal bone of Faizan’s skull was missing, aligning with initial photographs of his body, and the report definitively ruled out poisoning as a cause of death.