A Dhaka University (DU) student has died reportedly after consuming a toxic substance at a rented house in the capital’s Hazaribagh area.
The deceased was identified as Saidul Amin alias Simanta, 25, a final-year student of the DU chemistry department.
He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) around 1:30am on Friday in an unconscious state, where the doctor on duty declared him dead.
Hailing from Birgaon village of Monohardi upazila in Narsingdi, Simanta, son of Sadrul Amin, had been living as a subtenant at a house on Moneswar Road in Hazaribagh, relatives said.
Quoting the victim’s roommate, his uncle Ruhul Amin said Simanta locked his room from inside after 9pm on Thursday. As he did not respond to repeated calls for a prolonged period, the house owner was informed.
Later, the door was broken open only to find him lying unconscious and subsequently, he was rushed to hospital, he said.
Ruhul Amin said a strong smell of a toxic substance was noticed while Simanta was being taken to hospital, raising suspicion that he might have consumed poison. “But we don’t know why he did so.”
Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH police camp, said the body has been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy.