Police probe pesticide death of Indian expatriate

The deceased has been identified as KM Suresh, a 26-year-old man from Kerala. A friend of his named Mohanan, who also took ill, has been discharged from hospital, a family friend told Khaleej Times.

He said both Suresh and Mohanan had shifted to the bachelors’ accommodation in Naif area on the day the incident took place, which was a few days ago. “They were living in Sharjah earlier. It was their first day in that room. They had planned to share the room with two more people,” said the friend, who did not want to be named.

He said the duo was not aware of ‘pesticide tablets’ being used by people living in one of the nearby rooms were. Apparently, both of them took ill while they were asleep.

“Suresh vomited a lot and died in the room itself. His friend was taken to the hospital by the police,” the family friend said.

Khadem bin Sorror, Director of Naif Police Station, said the report received from the General Department of Forensic Science had indicated the pesticide as the cause of the death.

“So, the authorities concerned have started investigating the case. We also asked the Public Prosecution to allow an autopsy to know the exact cause of the death. We are still waiting for the results,” he said.

He said the police had interrogated the neighbours and they were released on bail till the completion of
 investigation.

Dubai Municipality officials on Sunday said they were not intimated about the case yet. Only the pest control companies licensed by the Pest Control Section of the Public Health Services Department are authorised to provide pest control services in the emirate. In November 2010, the civic body had warned the public against availing the services of unauthorised pest control companies.

In January this year, an Ajman court had sentenced three employees of a pest control firm to four-year imprisonment and payment of Dh400,000 in blood money for causing the death of two of the five-month-old triplets of a Palestinian couple. The convicts included a manager of the unlicensed pest control firm and two assistants who sprayed the house of a Nigerian family in Nuaimiya area.

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