Woolmer’s Death Suspicious, Say Jamaican Police

The death of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer on Sunday is being treated as suspicious, Jamaican police say.

Hours after Pakistan's shock loss to Ireland in the World Cup tournament now on in West Indies, Woolmer was found unconscious in his hotel room in Kingston. He was declared dead at the hospital. He was 58.

Earlier it had been speculated possibly accidental overdose of drug or alcohol coupled with severe stress might have led to his death.

He was a diabetic and had some breathing difficulties too, it has been reported.

Mark Shields, deputy commissioner of the Jamaican police constabulary, in a brief statement to the media, said police now had 'sufficient information to continue a full investigation into the death of Mr Woolmer, which we are now treating as suspicious.'

Earlier, he said that the body could not be released until the pathologist had completed his examination.

Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman Pervez Mir told a news conference that further investigations were being carried out by a toxicologist and a histologist (scientist who examines body tissue).

Mr Shields said: 'I know that the scientists are treating it with the utmost urgency in order that we can hopefully repatriate the body to his family as soon as possible.

However, he would not elaborate on why they considered the death suspicious. He would only point out that any sudden death would be treated as suspicious unless proved otherwise.

Meanwhile Geo television, a leading Pakistani TV channel, has reported that there was information that Woolmer might have been murdered.

Already former Pakistan pacer Sarfaraz Nawaz has claimed that Woolmer had been murdered and a match-fixing mafia was behind the crime.

Mushtaq Ahmed, who has taken over as coach for Pakistan's last game in the tournament, against Zimbabwe on Wednesday, described the mood among the players as one of 'total depression'.

He said: 'The loss of Bob Woolmer is the biggest blow in the history of the Pakistan cricket team. He was a father figure to all of us. He also used to impart knowledge and was also such a good and kind human being. Bob was a great motivating factor for us, always trying to bring in new theories to improvise the game of cricket.'

Source-Medindia
GPL