Blinded B.C. student's attacker found dead

The man charged in connection with the blinding of a University of British Columbia graduate student has died, reports say.

Hasan Sayeed Sumon,who allegedlyattacked his wife, Rumana Monzur, was found dead in his prison cell in Dhaka, Bangladesh, early Monday, the Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star reported.

Police said Sumon's body was found in the bathroom of the prison cell about 6:00 a.m. local time. Hospital authoritiesinitially saidSumon had a heart attack, butreports on the inquest say his hands showed signs of having been restrained and a plastic bag was tied over his head.

Monzur, 33, said Sumon had flown into a rage on June 5, trying to gouge out her eyes with his thumbs andinflicting a deep bite wound on her nose. She said the attack was witnessed by the couples five-year-old daughter.

Medical specialists in Bangladesh and British Columbia attempted to save at least part of Monzurs vision, but concluded the damage was too severe.

Monzur, who returned to Canada in July, was at UBC pursuing a master's degree in political science and was a professor in Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital.

University officials have promised to try to help her continue herpursuit of a master's degree in political scienceby arranging a customized program for her.