HYDERABAD Nov 23 2001: Chief Medical Officer of Central Prison Hyderabad, Dr Ghulam Ali Shaikh, who died on Thursday night after remaining in coma for nine days due to head injuries suffered in a murderous attack, was laid to rest on Friday.

Four persons had attacked Dr Shaikh on November 13 near the doctors' hostel in Liaquat Medical College. He had received severe head injuries and was admitted to Intensive Care Unit of Civil Hospital, Hyderabad. He was in coma since then and doctors had pronounced him clinically dead.

The Namaz-e-Janaza was held in the Staff Colony of Sindh University, Jamshoro, which was attended by the vice chancellor, staff and neighbours. The body was then taken to Qadam Gah Maula Ali where a large number of the people offered Namaz-e-Janaza led by the Sindh President of Tehreek-e-Jafferia Pakistan, Allama Syed Shabeeh-ul-Raza Zaidi Hussaini. The body was later taken to Tando Jam where he was laid to rest at Imambargah Hussainia Hyderia.

Although Dr Shaikh was the CMO at the Central Prison, but none of the senior officers of the jail attended the funeral.Later, the participants shouted slogans and demanded immediate arrest of the killers, besides initiating an inquiry into the matter. The Hyderabad police have arrested Kehar Ansari, chief of Jeay Sindh Students Federation, in connection with the killing. Dr Shaikh has left behind a wife, three children and three brothers. The eldest brother, Imdad Sheikh, is registrar of Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro.