Stabbed Dubai boy dreamt of joining UAE armed forces

The grieving family on Monday voiced their concern over children carrying sharp-edged weapons.- Alamy Image

The 13-year-old boy, who was recently stabbed to death by a young man in Al Qusais area, had a dream to work in the UAE armed forces, like one of his brothers. Mohamed was a quiet child and loved to play with bicycles, his elder brother Nasir said.
The victim was a Grade 4 student in Saud School at Al Mamzar in Dubai. He was extremely adorable and very close to his mother as well as his three brothers.
The grieving family on Monday voiced their concern over children carrying sharp-edged weapons and using them to unleash violence.
They also stressed the importance of spreading awareness in schools and among parents about the potential risks inherent in possessing these weapons.
Nasir pointed out that the police are trying hard to curb the possession of such weapons, but the schools and parents have a huge role to play in discouraging the growing menace. The children should be told that carrying such weapons may land them in jail.
He said that more efforts are needed to prevent the sale of swords and sharp tools in markets so that juveniles don't get easy access to them. If there's a gathering of youngsters in residential areas, it should be closely monitored, he added.
Nasir pointed out that people who use weapons could have familial, social or psychological problems and so they respond violently to a situation. These people should be given counselling and their abnormal behaviour be checked, he underlined.
The mother of the deceased has not been able to come to terms with the void created by Mohamed's death as she continues to wail inconsolably.
Nasir said it has been extremely agonising for his mother.
'Killer was on drugs'
Nasir said that before the incident took place, Mohamed was with his family. "He had dinner with us and after doing the school homework, we chatted and laughed. Around 10pm, he got a call from one of his friends who asked him to meet him. He went to the supermarket to buy soft drinks, despite his mother telling him not to step out at that hour. Mohamed said he would be back very soon, but he never did," Nasir lamented.
He said while Mohamed was with his friend, the suspect asked him to get his bicycle. Suddenly, he was attacked by sword and knife.
"Around 11pm, there was a knock on the door and a boy who lives in the same area rushed in to tell me that my brother had been assaulted by somebody," Nasir said.
Mohamed was rushed to the Rashid Hospital in a police ambulance but he died on the way. The doctor told the family that the victim was stabbed in various parts of the body and there were deep cuts on his right as well as left hands, injury marks on the lower part of the leg, head and face. Mohamed died of internal bleeding, the doctor said.
Nasir said the suspect - who is actually 26-year-old and unemployed - seemed to be on drugs because after committing the murder, he went to Al Qusais police station.
The suspect told the police that there was some problem in the Oud Al Muteena area, but he did not tell them that he had stabbed my brother, Nasir said.
He added the suspect lived in the same area and had quarrelled with the deceased twice before. He had assaulted Mohamed earlier too and threatened him with dire consequences, Nasir said. According to him, there were two more persons present when the incident took place.
amira@khaleejtimes.com