- .Thousands paid respects to Asad Khan and family on streets of Bradford
- .Women said goodbye then men did prayers before coffin taken for burial
- .Inquest heard he was reluctant to go to school he started three weeks ago
- .Community leaders pressed anti-bullying message to raise awareness
Thousands turned out to the funeral of an 11-year-old boy whose mother found him hanged in his bedroom after he told her he never wanted to go back to school.
Asad Khan, 11, was reluctant to go back to Beckfoot Upper Heaton School in Bradford, where it is thought he was bullied after starting just three weeks before, an inquest heard.
He told his mother, Farheen Jan, that he wanted to change schools and hours later, she forced her way through his locked bedroom door and found him hanged at their home in Bradford.
Thousands turned out to the funeral of 11-year-old Asad Khan whose mother found him hanged in his bedroom after he told her he never wanted to go back to school
Many young people wore T-shirts bearing an anti-bullying message and 'RIP little man Asad'
Asad (pictured) told his mother, Farheen Jan, that he wanted to change schools and hours later, she forced her way through his locked bedroom door and found him hanged
Yesterday, community members, family and friends came together to show an outpouring of grief and respect for Asad. 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.'
Local resident Riaz Ahmed said he was there to pay respect to the family, adding: '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.'
During Monday's inquest hearing, coroner's officer Simone Holmes told the inquest: 'He was a fit, healthy, sociable and chatty boy. Recently he'd started a new school, he was reluctant to attend that school.'
Bradford Coroner Martin Fleming said Asad had died in 'heartbreaking circumstances' after hearing how his mother, Farheen Jan, found him.
Yesterday, community members, family and friends came together to show an outpouring of grief and respect for Asad
Local residents came along to pay their respects to Asad and his family's tragic loss
On the day he died he had come home from school, gone to the bathroom then into his bedroom, Bradford Coroner's Court 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.
Asad's coffin was taken to the Masjid Bilal Mosque, near his family home, 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.
On the day he died he had come home from school (pictured), gone to the bathroom then into his bedroom, Bradford Coroner's Court was told
Raising the coffin high into the air, the cortege then left for the burial.
Police, now investigating claims he was bullied, had reports that he had been beaten up by sixth-formers - usually 16-18 years old - at lunchtime on the day he died.
The community has rallied against bullying in the wake of Asad's (pictured) death
However, Detective Inspector Paula Bickerdike, of Bradford District Police, said: 'We have now established that this person did not witness such an incident.
'We are continuing to investigate what was happening in his life prior to his death on behalf of the Coroner and are appealing for anyone with information which may assist this inquiry to come forward.'
The community continue to campaign against bullying. 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 raise awareness 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.
Asad's coffin was taken to the Masjid Bilal Mosque (pictured), near his family home before being taken to a sports centre where people could say their final goodbyes
'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, South Yorkshire, 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.
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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