Indian job seeker in Dubai missing for nine days found

A 31-year-old Indian man in Dubai, who was reported missing nine days ago, has been found, his friends and roommates told Khaleej Times.

He was suspected to have been suffering from depression, because of which he left home, they added.

Ashik Chenoth Thurummal, a Kerala native, had arrived in the UAE on October 15 from Kannur on a visit visa and was waiting to complete a 14-day quarantine before he could join work as a salesman at an Abu Dhabi supermarket.

A resident at the Persian Cluster in International City, Ashik went missing on October 31.

His friend Ahsan CA, a Dubai resident who issued an appeal to find him, said: “He just reappeared home at my brother’s apartment in International City.”

According to Ahsan, Ashik said he walked on the Hatta-Oman road for several hours on October 31. “While walking, a Pakistani national who was on his way to Ras Al Khaimah stopped his car and offered Ashik a ride.”

He got out of the car just before he was about to reach Ras Al Khaimah and started his walk back to Dubai. “It got pretty late by then and another Afghan national truck driver took pity on Ashik and stopped his vehicle and offered him a ride,” added Ahsan.

The truck was on its way to Sharjah and Ashik apparently spent the last week with the driver and his roommates in Sharjah.

Ahsan also said Ashik returned to collect his passport as he was offered a job as a helper and wanted to get his new visa stamped. “He did not even realise that we were on the look out for him.”

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai