George Town police chief Che Zaimani Che Awang said that the boy had gone to take a bath, but did not emerge after 30 minutes, forcing his father to break down the bathroom door at 10.55pm.

‘’The man found his son hanging from a towel and took him down. He tried to resuscitate the boy who then vomited. He was rushed to the Penang Hospital in an ambulance but he died on the way. Police rule out any foul play,’’ he said in a statement here today.

He said that an interview with his parents revealed that the boy, the younger of two children, often complained of heavy homework.

‘’On the night of the incident, the boy’s mother told him to complete his school assignments after getting a telephone call from his teacher that he did not complete his school homework,’’ Che Zaimani said.