Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 31 A charred body, suspected to belong to a prominent educationist, was discovered on Tuesday morning in a partially constructed building at P.A. Aziz College of Engineering near here.
The police revealed that the body was 80 per cent burnt. A mobile phone and a car belonging to the college's owner, Mohammed Abdul Aziz Taha, were found near the site, further deepening suspicions.
State Food Minister G.R. Anil, whose constituency includes the college, expressed concerns about the mysterious circumstances surrounding the incident. "Only a DNA test will confirm the identity of the deceased," he said.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing Taha on the college premises the previous night. Locals speculated that ongoing financial and administrative troubles might have contributed to the incident. "The college faced major challenges after losing its accreditation and being downgraded to a polytechnic institution. Salaries were delayed, debts piled up, and students struggled to receive their certificates after graduation," said a local resident at the site.
According to some reports, two persons had visited the college a day before and created a scene over a matter related to cheque.
The P.A. Aziz College of Engineering, established in 2003 under the P.A. Aziz Trust, was one of the first private engineering institutions following the liberalization of professional education under the A.K. Antony government. The college is affiliated with the University of Kerala and, since 2017, has also been affiliated with APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University under the government of Kerala.
However, like many private engineering colleges, it faced a severe decline in enrolment in recent years, leading to financial difficulties. Several such institutions have since closed down in the state.
The local police have registered a case of unnatural death and begun investigations. Further details will emerge as the inquiry progresses.
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