24-year-old expat dies suddenly of heart attack in Dubai

Dubai - 'He does not smoke or drink - played football and was physically fit'

A 24-year old Indian expat died of sudden heart attack at his accommodation in Al Qusais, Dubai early Sunday morning.

Sandhij Athrappully Santoshkumar, hailing from Thrissur, Kerala was found frothing in his mouth early morning and died on the way to hospital, according to friends and roommates.

He was working as a supervisor at Al Khayam bakery in Qusais. He is survived by his mother Ramadevi and brother Shravand.

"He was perfectly alright when I left his room on Saturday night. He had cooked dinner for all of us. After dinner he went out and bought a mike saying he wants to sing. It was a great night and we were all having fun," Noufal Edathadathil, PRO of the Bakery and a close friend of Sandij, told Khaleej Times.

Edathadathil said roommates woke up early morning and found Sandij writhing in pain and frothing from his mouth. "They rushed him to Zulekha Hospital but he died on the way. Medical reports confirmed he had a heart attack."

"We are all shell-shocked. We still have the videos of him singing the previous night. How can we come to terms that he is no more?" said Edathadathil.

According to friends, Sandij was a pleasant personality who always has a smile on his face.

"We don't think he was under any kind of stress.  He did not smoke or drink. He played football and was physically fit."

Sandij's father had died at a young age and he was financially supporting his family.

"We have informed his mother and brother in Kerala. They are inconsolable. He was the breadwinner of the family," said Naseer Vatanappally, social worker.

"We are looking at the formalities to get police clearance. We hope to fly his body back to Kerala by Monday,' said Vatanappally.

• Dubai
• India