First Woman to Contest Aligarh Muslim University Polls Found Dead in her Apartment

www.mangaloretoday.com

Aligarh, May 14, 2015: The first woman to contest student polls at the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University was found dead in her apartment on Wednesday.

Asma Javed, 28, is suspected to have died three or four days ago. The police broke into her home in Aligarh’s Civil Lines area after neighbours complained of a foul stench.

Her brother Salman had suspected something was wrong when he found her mobile switched off for days.

"I hadn’t spoken to her since May 9. Neighbours kept saying there was a horrible smell from her flat. Our uncle also stays nearby. So I told the police and we got the door opened," said Salman Javed.

"The body was completely decomposed. We are investigating how she died," said Shrikrishan, a senior police officer. Her door was locked from outside, which points at murder.

Asma ran for the post of students’ president in 2011. She had been living alone since her husband reportedly left four South America. Some cash and her tablet were missing from the apartment. Her family alleges that her death could be linked to campaigns she had taken up in the past for woman students in the university.

Asma, known to be vocal about equal rights for women, completed her doctorate from the university two years ago. Her family says she wanted to join a teacher’s course.