A DISTRAUGHT mother desperately tried to revive her 11-year-old son after finding him hanging in his bedroom - minutes after he had complained about being bullied at school.

Asad Khan - who was described as a happy and confident boy - died in hospital after he was found unconscious upstairs at his home in Tile Street, Whetley Hill, Bradford, soon after 4pm on Wednesday.

Police say his death is not suspicious, but are investigating claims the youngster had been bullied at school.

A video has been circulating on social media claiming to show Asad being assaulted by other boys.

Last night a West Yorkshire Police spokesman said the Force was aware of the footage.

“Following enquiries, officers have determined there is no connection between the footage and the death of an 11-year-old boy in Tile Street, Bradford,” he added.

“Enquiries are ongoing to identify the children in the video and to safeguard them.”

Asad had been a pupil at Beckfoot Upper Heaton School, formerly Belle Vue Boys School, for only three weeks, but had told friends he was being picked on by older boys. Asad had attended Iqra Primary School in Manningham until July.

Mrs Asama Javed, a governor at Iqra and a mother-of-four, described him as a “very confident, happy, pleasant young man” who used to help other children in the playground and was very polite to teachers.

Mrs Javed said: “He wouldn’t have carried out this action unless something had gone badly wrong.”

She said her eldest son had seen Asad three days before his death. “He indicated he didn’t like the big school because the big kids were picking on him,” she said.

She said she had been to see Asad’s family and his mother had told her he had come home from school on Wednesday and said he did not like it and wanted to leave.

“She told him to change out of his uniform and then she would talk to him about it. He locked the door to his room. After a while she shouted him to have his tea because he was getting late for the mosque, but he did not respond.

“She forced the door open and found him hanging and tried to resuscitate him. It is heartbreaking.”

Mrs Khan called the ambulance service, who alerted police.

Mrs Javed said her nephew attended Beckfoot Upper and she had emailed the head teacher, Simon Wade, as a concerned parent.

She added: “We don’t realise the jump from primary to secondary school at Year 7 level. The lifestyle, culture, and whole environment impacts on the kids. What worries me is there are children like Asad who find themselves unable to confide in anyone.

"It’s not about apportioning blame, but we must not let this happen to other families.”

The boy’s auntie, Rehana Bibi, also told how he was found in his bedroom by his mother, Farheen Jan.

Miss Bibi, 34, of Manningham, said: “It is very, very sad. His door was locked and there he was in that state.

“The boy was scared. Because he was scared he did not even know what he was doing, he was too innocent to know: what I am doing is death. Maybe he just wanted a bit of attention, or he was fed up that day.”

Miss Bibi said she had heard about the bullying rumours from children in the family, who had spoken to other boys at Asad’s school.

“He didn’t even really say openly, ‘I am getting bullied', but one of the boys said he had seen seen him in school once, and that Asad was standing in the corner with tears in his eyes. The boy said he had wiped Asad’s tears and asked what was wrong, and Asad had replied, ‘Them boys’.

“This bullying needs to stop, it is taking young boys’ lives. I strongly believe this is bullying from school,” she said.

“Asad didn’t even know the word bully, all he knew was he was getting bullied and he was not happy. Something has happened on the day where he is fed up, maybe he is just fed up of the two weeks going to that school, but I can’t see how a child can go and hang himself. The boy was innocent to his death.”

Miss Bibi added: “It’s devastating. No words can say how shocking this news is. I can’t take it in. He was a very innocent boy. We just don’t get it.

“He was a happy, jolly boy. He was such a lovely boy and was very shy.”

Mr Wade, confirmed that Asad had been a pupil at Beckfoot Upper Heaton School for only three weeks, but said he had made a great impression in that time, was doing well in his lessons and had a positive approach to school life.

Assemblies were held yesterday to give the news of Asad’s death to distraught pupils and staff and offer support. Counselling is being provided.

Bradford West MP Naz Shah visited the bereaved family on Wednesday evening and said they were devastated.

Ms Shah said: “Mum was very quiet and very much in shock. Asad’s dad said his son was a very reserved and quiet young boy and he used to pray that he would be okay.”

She said Asad was the eldest of four siblings.

Ms Shah added: “I offered my support to the family. I will help in any way I can. His death is nonsensical. One of his aunts said that he was bullied. I don’t know any more about that. I am leaving that for the police to look into.”

The MP has been in contact with Bradford Council’s chief executive, Kirsten England. She said she understood that duty social services officials had been to see the family.

Heaton ward Labour councillors yesterday demanded answers from council officials after being told that bullying was rife in schools across the district.

Councillor Mohammad Shabbir said he had received a number of calls from people, following Asad’s death, highlighting issues of bullying in a number of schools.

Cllr Shabbir said: “I have written to Bradford Council today, asking for figures on reports of bullying in schools and asking if there is a unified approach by education establishments to such harassment.

“People are highlighting to me issues of their children experiencing bullying at other schools, but nothing seems to be done.

“We don’t know what the situation is with Asad, but other parents are having issues and it is concerning.

“I have spoken to Asad’s school and they are shocked. It seems completely out of the blue.

“The head teacher said he was in school yesterday, having lessons, and nothing seemed untoward. The tragedy is a young life has been lost.”

Councillor Nussrat Mohammad said the school wanted to support the family, and pupils. She said an assembly had been held to break the news to the pupils, an inter faith team was offering support and a psychologist had been assigned to help students.

Cllr Mohammad said the whole of the community was devastated.

She said: “We are still trying to get to the bottom of this. The school has assured me the boy had never approached any of the teachers about having problems. Nobody was aware of what was going on.

“We have to find out why an 11-year-old boy felt he had to take this kind of step and did not feel he could go to a member of his family, a friend, or his school.”

Councillor Mohammed Amran said: “My heart goes out to the family. I have an 11-year-old son and I cannot imagine what they must be going through.”

He said he had a lot of questions he wanted to ask the head teacher.

“I have had a lot of reports of bullying in the Bradford district. It has become a big issue,” he added.

“I am a parent and I am struggling to take it in. For a child to have taken that step, the bullying must have been really bad. It is so sad to lose any life, but in particular a young child, an 11-year-old good-looking child who has just started at upper school and had a future.”

Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe offered her condolences to Asad’s family, adding the local authority had offered its support .

She said: “This is a very sad and tragic incident and our thoughts are with the family at this time. We made contact with the family yesterday to offer support. The council’s Education Psychology Team are also in contact with the school.”

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