GUWAHATI: A Bangladeshi badminton referee was found dead in his hotel room late on Friday night in Assam. The incident came to light the next morning, and his autopsy was done on Sunday, police said.
The deceased has been identified as Mohammed Nazib Ismail (52), a Badminton World Federation-accredited umpire. He was officiating the Yonex Sunrise Badminton tournament at the Sarusajai Indoor Sports Complex in Guwahati, which commenced on Dec 3 and concluded on Sunday.
The hotel staff found Ismail unconscious in his room on Saturday and informed the officers from the Basistha police station. The case's investigating officer, Tirtha Deka, said they immediately took him to a nearby private hospital in the Khanapara area of the city, where they pronounced him dead. Following his death, the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) received Ismail's body for post-mortem.
Badminton Association of India general secretary Omar Rashid said Ismail was staying at a city hotel in the Beltola area.
"He was staying alone in his room, and we suspect that he might have succumbed to a heart attack or stroke. We cannot ascertain anything until the postmortem report is available. Whenever he was on duty, he performed with utmost diligence, and we never perceived any health concerns," Rashid said.
Rashid stated that his family members will receive Ismail's body on Monday near the India-Bangladesh border at Dawki in Meghalaya.
ALSO READ: Assam: Tragedy Unfolds as Infant Goes Missing in Brahmaputra Boat Capsize
ALSO WATCH: