officials likely to be questioned

Kingston/Lahore, Mar 21 (UNI) Coach Bob Woolmer's mysterious death has become murkier with Jamaican police ordering a full-scale investigation, treating the case as ''suspicious'' and the Pakistani players and officials likely to be called for questioning.

Amid reports suggesting a murder angle to the sad incident, Pakistani media manager PJ Mir was called to the local police station for a 'briefing'.

In a statement quoted by Pakistani media, Mir said Pakistan team players and officials can be questioned to dig out the exact reason of Woolmer's death.

''It was a sort of briefing in which the local police officials informed me about the standard procedure of investigations in such matters,'' he said after returning from the police station.

Speculation was, however, rife over Mir's visit to the police station with some saying that he was summoned by the authorities for cross-questioning over the Englishman's tragic death, though Mir rubbished such speculations.

He also denied media reports that the Pakistan team will have to delay their departure from the West Indies by two days because of the new developments in the sad incident.

He said the authorities have informed him that the team would be free to go once Woolmer's death certificate is issued.

Jamaica's deputy police commissioner Mark Shields had earlier told mediapersons that a full-scale probe has been ordered though they do not have any ''suspects'' at this stage.

''Having met the pathologist, medical personnel and other investigators, there is now sufficient information to continue a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Woolmer which we are now treating as suspicious,'' Shields told reporters at a press conference.

''We have already informed the Woolmer family of this development and we are also in close contact with Pakistan team management, Cricket World Cup and the ICC to ensure that all the parties are kept informed of the ongoing investigation.'' Fifty-eight-year-old Woolmer was found unconscious in his Kingston hotel room on Sunday less than 24 hours after Pakistan's World Cup defeat at the hands of Ireland and pronounced dead in hospital later that day.

Reports from the Pakistan camp at the time said Woolmer was discovered by hotel staff on the floor of his room at the Pegasus Hotel with his mouth wide open, blood was discovered on the bathroom floor, there was vomit on the walls and signs of diarrhoea.

However, unconfirmed reports now suggested that Woolmer might have been murdered because marks were found around his neck.

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