National

LUMS student died of drug overdose: post-mortem report

December 14, 2016

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A student found dead in a dormitory room at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) on Tuesday had died of cardiac arrest due to overdosed on drugs, post-mortem report has shown.

His room was searched and some of his personal belongings and cigarettes were sent to a lab for examination, police informed.

LUMS student and hostel resident Shahmir Asif Bajwa was found unresponsive in bed in his room on December 12.

The LUMS administration was called when efforts to rouse him failed and Shahmir was immediately taken to the nearest hospital (National Defence Hospital) where doctors pronounced he had expired earlier in the day.

A resident of Karachi, he was a student of Accounting and Finance in his fifth semester.

Shahmir’s family reached Lahore from Karachi today as they were unable to earlier due to fog.

Later, after the post-mortem examination the family left for Karachi with deceased’s body.

Earlier, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), the other day, issued a statement clarifying its stance on drug usage on campus stating that drug and substance abuse is a real challenge plaguing educational institutions and society at large and that this issue are taken extremely seriously.

In its statement, the university said, “There has since been speculation within the media that Shahmir’s death was caused by a drug overdose. While the cause of death has yet to be determined, the LUMS administration would like to make clear that it recognises that drug and substance abuse is a real challenge plaguing educational institutions and society at large, and that this issue is taken extremely seriously.”

LUMS has a zero tolerance policy against all intoxicants and has regular vigilance and oversight to prevent the availability of drugs and illegal substances on campus, the varsity added. Delving into details regarding its efforts to curb drug usage on campus, the official statement said, “This involves two layers of security and hostel staff. Any infractions are reported and dealt with according to procedures that are transparent and documented. A firm principled approach is taken with all students who are in violation of the zero tolerance policy.”

“A well-trained security force with SOPs regarding entry and exit from campus ensures general safety at LUMS. The campus is well covered with CCTV, and all reports of drug violations, whether from security staff, cameras, or individual complaints, are followed up rigorously,” it added.

LUMS further said, “It is also recognised that addiction is a medical condition. In cases where students have sought help, they have been referred for medical treatment.”

LUMS has a trained full-time psychologist on board for both counselling and awareness-raising on all issues of concern, including drug and substance abuse. “To ensure that everything possible is being done to prevent drug and substance abuse, all aspects of our system are periodically reviewed and revised as deemed necessary,” it added.