MANY thousands of mourners gathered for the funeral today of an 11-year-old boy who died after he was found hanging at his home by his mother.

Community members, family and friends came together to show an outpouring of grief and respect for Asad Khan, who had recently started at Beckfoot Upper Heaton School.

The youngster was found by his mother after she had to force her way through the locked door to his bedroom at their home in Tile Street, Whetley Hill, on September 28.

Mourners at the funeral of Asad Khan today

An inquest which was opened today heard that the Asad had been reluctant to attend his new school.

West Yorkshire Police is investigating the circumstances of his death amid allegations that he had suffered bullying.

Asad’s coffin had been taken to the Masjid Bilal Mosque, in Drummond Road, before being taken to an open area adjacent to Manningham Sports Centre where women first said their goodbyes before the men attended for funeral prayers (Janazah).

Raising the coffin high into the air, the cortege then left for a burial at Scholemoor Cemetery .

Many young people wore T-shirts bearing an anti-bullying message and  ‘RIP little man Asad’.

Family friend Haliba Ali, 17, said: “We wanted to show our support for Asad with the message that bullying has to stop.”

Manningham resident Riaz Ahmed said he was there to pay respect to the family.

“It is so shocking that a young life has been wasted. It has broken everyone’s hearts and will strike a chord with every parent that this can happen anywhere.”

Arshad Ali, who works as a psychotherapist said he and former president for the council of mosques, Rafiq Sehgal, were going to get together with Asian TV companies to broadcast the message that people need to be aware of bullying.

“It is a hidden evil. So many people have come today in respect and mourning but this cannot be forgotten.

"We must make people, teachers, parents all aware to look for signs and act on them.

"We do not want this young boy’s life to have been a waste. If we do not do anything and this does not go further then what would have been the point? (of his death).

“We will get the message across through Asian TV channels, perhaps giving talks at school. We  have to take the bull by the horns.”

Muhammad Auzair Khan, a chaplain in Doncaster, said bullying was getting much worse and did not stop at 3pm when school finished.

“It continues with cyber crime and should be treated as a criminal offence,” he said.

Earlier today, Coroner’s officer Simone Holmes told the inquest hearing: “He was a fit, healthy, sociable and chatty boy.

“Recently he’d started a new school, he was reluctant to attend that school.”

On the day he died he had come home from school, gone to the bathroom then into his bedroom, the inquest in Bradford was told.

His mother was at home and when she called up to his room and got no response she went upstairs, finding his door locked from the inside.

She forced it open and discovered him hanging, Miss Holmes, told the hearing.

Paramedics were called to the scene but despite efforts to save him Asad was pronounced dead shortly afterwards at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Bradford Coroner Martin Fleming said Asad had died in “heartbreaking circumstances”.

The inquest was adjourned to a provisional date of January 24 next year for police reports and statements to be completed.

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