Abu Dhabi: "He kept laughing hysterically after killing his own father ... but the child is mentally ill, he cannot be blamed," said Mohammad Salim, a nephew of Mohammad Sikander, 52, who was allegedly murdered by his son at his automobile workshop in Mussaffah.

Salim is still horrified by the tragic fate of his uncle, who had decided to send his son back home to have his mental illness treated. He witnessed his uncle bleeding to death after the incident, and overpowered the accused with the help of others, before informing the police.

The 21-year-old has been charged with murdering his father by stabbing him seven times during his morning prayer.

"The incident happened in the early hours of December 14, and Mohammad Jamshed [the son] was to leave the country the next day, December 15," said Salim. "Uncle had arranged for his air ticket to send him to Bangladesh.

"I heard a loud scream, as though someone was hit by an electric shock. Within seconds, I came down to the workshop and saw uncle lying in a pool of blood. Jamshed was beside him holding a small kitchen knife," he said.

Unfolding events

"Jamshed kept laughing and said that stabbing [him] with the knife didn't kill his father so he had to hold him tightly against his chest to make sure he died," said Mohammad Azam, a relative who was living with the victim and his son at the automobile workshop.

Narrating the happenings on the eve of the crime, Azam said: "Around 11.30-12 it was raining as we were about to sleep, I warmed milk for all of us to have. Salim was half asleep and refused to drink [it]. This upset Jamshed, who threw his glass of milk on the floor in protest."

"I and his father laughed at this gesture to lighten the mood. But I knew from the look in his eyes that something was not well," he said, adding that he had asked that the light not be switched off.

"Over the past three to four days, Jamshed was moody and detached. He ate less food and kept laughing," he recalled.

Right from childhood his mother took him to numerous doctors and religious clerics to heal him. He even had to be chained at times, they said.

Jamshed was brought by his father to work with him, expecting that it would improve his condition.

"But during his one year in the UAE, uncle had to send him back home twice for treatment," Salim said.

About six months ago, he became extremely violent and hit everyone around him, after which the police were called in. Jamshed was hospitalised for psychiatric treatment for about two weeks.

Although a police report says the reason behind the murder was refusal to give a "few dirhams", the relatives said there was no monetary dispute.

Jamshed is in Al Wathba jail while court proceedings are going on.

Mental illness and violence

 Psychiatrist Yousuf Al Tigani at Al Noor Hospital in Abu Dhabi lists four conditions in which a psychiatric patient would commit murder:

  • If the patient is paranoid and believes others are plotting to harm them.
  • If the patient hears voices telling them to kill somebody.
  • If the patient is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
  • Patients with psychopathic disorders tend to commit murder.