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Parents of ‘fire victim’ suspect vendetta killing

SHARJAH —The case is getting curiouser and curiouser. The parents of Jamal Rashid, the 19-year-old Omani national whose charred body was found in a traditional house in Al Ghurair area recently, now suspect their son might have been a victim of a ‘vendetta’ killing — rather than a victim of an accidental fire incident.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Jamal's father Abu Badr said when his son was being given bath for the funeral ceremony, it was noticed that his hands were tied behind his back with electric wires. A pincer was used to cut the wires.

“Later, a report of the forensic laboratory also confirmed that my son's hands had been tied behind his back. Me and my wife as well as my children had rushed to the accident site after we were informed by his girlfriend. When we reached the site, we found the room in which Jamal's body was found was bolted from outside and there was a gas cylinder in the centre of the room when the body was found by the civil defence officers.

“My son's body was exhumed after the public prosecution was informed that his hands were tied at the time of death. The body-washer also confirmed the fact. As a result, the public prosecution ordered the body to be exhumed and an autopsy was carried out at the Abu Dhabi Forensic Laboratory. The autopsy report confirmed that his hands were tied at the time of death. The occupants of the house where he died were allegedly bootleggers. The question which still remains unanswered is how could my son have set fire to himself with his hands tied behind his back.”

Jamal's grieving mother, Umm Badr, told Khaleej Times that last Friday that Jamal, the youngest of her children, had told her that he was going out with a friend. “When he returned home at around 8pm, I saw him bleeding from some injuries on his head, hands and mouth. When asked what had happened, Jamal said somebody attacked him from the back and fled.

The mother said she was not convinced by this explanation. She forced him to go to a private clinic for treatment. “When he returned from the clinic, he had bandages around his head and face. Since I had come along with his sister from Al Ain to spend the weekend, we prepared some dinner for him. Suddenly, he received a telephone call and I thought that the caller at the other end was trying to persuade him to meet up. My son was very angry. But he agreed to meet the caller.”

“Later, when I called him up to enquire where he was, Jamal told me he was with his friends on the beach. But, barely half an hour later, we received a call from his girl friend who told us that my son was being burnt alive in a house in Al Ghurair Area behind Boorj 2000.”

Speaking to Khaleej Times, E. M, Jamal's girlfriend, said: “I called Jamal on Friday evening and also visited his house and found his head and hands bandaged. When I asked what had happened, he said seven Baloushi and Asian men had beaten him up.

“I left after some time and went home. Later when I called him again he told me he was sitting with some friends in Cafeteria Al Haram in Al Houmah area where he had met his friend Mohammed Abdul Gadir. After a while, his friend called up my brother informing him that Jamal was being burnt alive. My brother told me of the incident and asked me to inform Jamal's family.”

“When I returned, I found his friend who was also severely injured lying in my house and his condition was worsening so another friend rushed him to Al Qasimi hospital and also informed the police,” the girlfriend said.

Jamal's parents have called upon the Rulers and the authorities concerned to ensure justice is done in this case. A Source from the Sharjah police said that two of the house occupants have been arrested and the deceased's friend S.M is in the custody of the police. The police and the public prosecution are investigating the case.

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