COVID-19 survivor from Kerala falls to death from seventh floor in Dubai

Uncle says vulnerable Indian man had been waiting to be repatriated

Dubai: A building watchman who recently recovered from coronavirus fell to his death in Deira on Sunday, the first day of Eid.

The 26-year-old Indian national identified as Neelath Muhammed Firdous from Kerala, fell from the seventh floor balcony of his building where he stayed with six others including his uncle, Naushad Ali, 33.

A Dubai Police official confirmed the incident to Gulf News on Monday and said it had been a suicide.

“He was suffering from a mental disorder and there is no criminal suspicions behind his death," said the official. "The incident happened on Sunday,” the official confirmed.

The deceased's uncle said, “Firdous awoke early to perform prayers and everyone was getting on with their daily morning chores when he walked to the balcony and jumped.”

The incident is said to have taken place at around 4.40am on Sunday, said Ali.

“He was suffering from a mental disorder and had been disturbed for some time. He thought everyone was out to attack him and had stopped eating his food as he thought people were feeding him poison. He was refusing to even take water from us.

“Today is a sad day for me,” said Ali, who is a nurse at a private clinic. “It was hard breaking the news to his mother.”

Firdous leaves behind his parents, who are in their 50s, and a younger brother and sister.

“He was the sole bread winner and came to work in Dubai just so he could financially support is family back in Kerala. Unfortunately that was not the case to be,” said Ali, who said Firdous earned Dh1,200 a month.

Ali said Firdous tested positive for COVID-19 on April 10. On May 7 he was discharged from a Dubai hospital after clearing all tests. A copy of the discharge report with Gulf News also revealed Firdous suffered from “a suspected schizo-affective disorder”.

“He was mentally unstable and a manic depressive,” said Ali.

Ali said he registered Firdous in the Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) last month in order to repatriate him, however he was unsuccessful in procuring a ticket to fly home. 

- With inputs from Ali Al Shouk, Senior Reporter