Balaka police have launched a manhunt for assailants who abducted and killed an 18-year-old Form 3 student, Gift Libuda, of St. Charles Lwangwa Secondary School in the district.

Balaka police publicist, Gladson M’bumpha, has confirmed of the development in an interview with the press.

According to M’bumpha, the student met his fate as he returned to school after boarding an unknown Sienta vehicle.

The vehicle had a driver and two passengers who assaulted Libuda using a toxic liquid substance before dumping him on the roadside.

Libuda was declared dead on arrival at Balaka district hospital, where a postmortem found that death was due to hypovolemic shock, hemorrhage, and poisoning.