Indian in Dubai says he wants to commit suicide; here's how cops save him

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Dubai Police, suicide bid, Khaleej Times,loan,  financial troubles,
The e-mail from Saifuddin, an only son, had left shock waves on social media after KT highlighted his plight.

Dubai - When Saifuddin lost his job, he had to borrow money from friends and relatives.

By Anupam Varma

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Published: Wed 31 Jul 2019, 6:14 PM

Last updated: Thu 1 Aug 2019, 8:57 AM

The distressed 23-year-old, who had written a letter to Khaleej Times saying he would commit suicide, is not only safe and sound, he also has an assurance from the Dubai Police that they would help him find a job and tide over his financial crisis.
Khaleej Times had alerted the police after Shaik Saifuddin sent an e-mail elaborating his financial troubles. Burdened with a loan and having recently lost his job, he said he found no alternative other than committing suicide. That was when the Dubai Police knocked on the doors of the hotel in Al Ras where he was staying.
"They came to meet me at 10.30am on Tuesday morning and took me to their headquarters. There, they offered me breakfast and told me committing suicide was not the right thing to do," he told Khaleej Times. "They have asked me to meet them at 8am on Wednesday to discuss this further."
"They even asked me if I wanted to stay in the Burj Al Arab, if it would make me happy," he said.
A Dubai Police spokesperson confirmed to Khaleej Times that they had asked Saifuddin to prepare his resume so that they could help him land a suitable job.
Saifuddin is from Hyderabad and he is currently in Dubai on a visit visa. He used to work in a security company in the emirate, until he was relieved of his duties in December 2018.
He has a loan of around Rs1.5 million (Dh80,000 approximately) back in India, which he had taken for the treatment of his father who was undergoing dialysis after both his kidneys had failed.
When Saifuddin lost his job, he had to borrow money from friends and relatives.
"But how much can I borrow? And how will I repay them? After some time, people stopped giving me money. Now, my only hope is to find a job in the UAE and pay off the loans in India," he said.
"The police have taken all the financial details of my father's treatment from me, and will try to help me get a loan so that the debt can be paid."
The e-mail from Saifuddin, an only son, had left shock waves on social media after KT highlighted his plight.
"I feel so sorry for this young man. I wish I could help him find a job," Ruhi, a KT reader, said on Facebook.
"I don't know this man. But I can only imagine the situation he must be dealing with that he thought suicide was the only way out," added Faizan, another Netizen.
Saifuddin, in his letter on Monday, requested Khaleej Times not to publish the news of the suicide he said he was about to commit. He also requested that he be buried in the UAE. He had not provided his full name or details of his whereabouts, though he did mention that he lives in Hor Al Anz.
How help reached the expat
When KT received the e-mail from Shaik Saifuddin at 12.28pm on Monday, the team immediately contacted the police to report the case.
The Dubai Police, in turn, urgently dealt with the problem. They launched an investigation and coordinated with KT to track down the e-mail's sender. All relevant details have been gathered.
Eventually, the police were able to locate Saifuddin, meet with him, and provide him with assistance, promising that will do all they can to help him find a source of income.
The General Department of Criminal Investigation is the police department that handles such cases. The team has already helped out several people in similar situations. In such cases, necessary support - not punishment - is provided to the person.
anupam@khaleejtimes.com


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