Lahore, Jan 18 (IANS): Police in Lahore have launched an investigation into "279 unnatural deaths" in 2020, a first-of-its-kind initiative, a media report said on Monday.

The Dawn news report said "the police have shifted the pending inquiries into 279 unnatural deaths from operations wing to the investigation".

"A directive was issued by the capital city police officer (CCPO) to inquire into suicides, accidental, unnatural and suspicious deaths on recommendations of the DIGs of both the wings of police.

"Last year, 279 people had died under such circumstances in Lahore district...," the report added.

A senior police officer told Dawn new that the initiative the move had been launched to ascertain whether the 279 people had died as a result of suicide, accident or murder.

"In case of unnatural death, the circumstances (cause) need to be explained and examined to meet justice," he added.

According to official record available with Dawn, of the 279 victims, 251 were males, 23 females and five children.