Indian social worker found hanging at UAE villa

Ras Al Khaimah - The father of three was a prominent social worker.

A 35-year-old Indian social worker in Ras Al Khaimah is believed to have committed suicide, Khaleej Times has learnt. Sandeep Vellaloor, 35, a staff surveyor with the RAK department of public works, suffered a huge financial loss after setting up a transport company, which is believed to be the reason for the resident to hang himself.

The father of three - the youngest of whom is a three-month-old boy - was a prominent social worker and member of various socio-cultural organisations in RAK.

His two roommates were not at home when he apparently committed suicide. "After coming back from work, they found the door locked from inside, and had to break open the lock to get inside. To their shock, they found him hanging from the ceiling," Prasad Sreedharan, a social worker affiliated with a medical committee recently constituted by the Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai, told Khaleej Times.

Vellaloor was the general secretary of Yuva Kala Sahiti and team leader of Friends Cricket Association. "He regularly organised blood donation camps in RAK. The Ministry of Health and Prevention had honoured him in 2016 with a certificate of appreciation and memento for the humanitarian act."

Sreedharan said the deceased used to offer financial help to those in need. "He contributed Rs400,000 to the family of an Indian worker who was paralysed and then died in a road accident here in RAK in 2017."

Vellaloor sent his family back home to India three years ago and had been staying with two of his friends in a villa behind the RAK immigration department.

"He used to draw a monthly salary of around Dh8,000, but his private business loss was huge."

Dr Nisham Noorudheen, president, Ras Al Khaimah Indian Relief Committee (IRC), said the body has been shifted to the morgue at the Ibrahim Bin Obaidulla Hospital and the repatriation process will be initiated shortly.

Police sources told Khaleej Times on Sunday that investigations are underway to identify the reasons behind the victim's apparent suicide.

ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Ras Al Khaimah