The son of senior Congress leader and MLA Shakeel Ahmed Khan was found dead in Patna on Monday, police said.
The body of Ayaan Zahid Khan (19) was found hanging from a ceiling fan at the official residence of his father, the Bihar Congress Legislature Party leader, in Sachiwalaya area here, a senior officer said.
Shakeel Ahmed Khan is the MLA of the Kadwa assembly seat in Katihar district.
Speaking to PTI, Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Awkash Kumar said, "Senior officials along with forensic experts have reached the spot and are collecting scientific evidence. The matter is being investigated from all angles." The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, he said, adding that the exact cause of death was yet to be ascertained.
Anu Kumari, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Sachiwalay-1, told PTI, "Police received information about the incident around 9 am, following which a team of officials immediately rushed to the spot. The deceased was around 19 years old. Prima facie it appears a case of suicide. No suicide note was recovered from the spot".
Sources in the police said Ayaan's mobile phone has been seized and his call detail records are being analysed.
Investigators are also examining some friends of Ayaan, they said.
Bihar's Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar visited the spot and issued instructions to the officials concerned for the investigation.
The incident took place when Shakeel Ahmed Khan was away from Bihar, party sources said. He, however, reached the state capital around 1 pm on Monday.
The MLA could not be reached for his comments.
Ayaan's friend Umair Khan said, "He (Ayaan) was very cheerful. It is difficult to accept that he died by suicide. He was friendly with everyone and good at studies. He had scored 95 per cent in pre-board exams. I never saw him in distress." Immediately after getting the information, BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain visited the Congress leader's residence and consoled the family.
Several other politicians of Bihar also visited the Congress MLA's residence.
Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh, in a post on X, said, "I am shocked by the news of the sudden death of Ayaan Khan, son of Shakeel Ahmed Khan. Condolences...May God give strength to his family in this hour of grief and grant peace to the departed soul. Om Shanti."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
