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North Sumatra Police have launched an investigation into the death of a teenager at an aviation academy in Medan, two weeks after allegations arose that the male student died during a hazing ritual involving senior students.

“We have questioned fellow students, the family and the school director in relation to the death of Taruna Hendra Syahputra,” North Sumatra Police spokesman Baharuddin Djafar told the Jakarta Globe on Monday.

Hendra, 17, died on Aug. 15 on his way to a hospital after a 20-day-long school orientation program at the Academy of Aviation Safety Technology (ATKP).

Baharuddin said Hendra’s family, especially his mother, believed Hendra died because of abuse and not because he fell down a set of stairs as the school claimed.

“It’s normal for a family to seek closure, however, we can’t base a case purely on assumption,” he said.

Ade Suryani, Hendra’s mother, told local media that ATKP’s management had told her to bury her son right away and that it was not necessary to follow the Muslim tradition of bathing the body before burial.

However, Ade went ahead with the bathing ritual and it was then that the family discovered that Hendra’s body was covered in cuts and bruises with fractures on his nose and neck. They strongly suspected that Hendra died due to physical abuse.

Footage on Metro TV showed Ade’s tearful pleas for police assistance to resolve the circumstances surrounding the death.

“I’m convinced my son died because he was beaten up. So whoever did it, I hope the police catch them,” she said.

Baharuddin said the police would summon further witnesses, including ATKP staff members, to collect more information about the case.