Man who killed himself by jumping off Burj Khalifa identified

Dubai: The man who reportedly committed suicide by jumping off the 148th floor of the Burj Khalifa on Tuesday has been identified by officials as a 38-year-old Indian, who was working as a cleaner with a construction company.

It was reported yesterday that the man jumped from the 147th floor but the police have confirmed that he jumped from the 148th floor.

The victim, Athiraman Kannan, from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, left behind his personal notebook and took his shoes off before the jump, police confirmed yesterday.

Colonel Ali Ahmad Ganem, Director of Bur Dubai Police Station, said the man, an employee of construction company Arabtec, used an opening in a part of the tower that is still under construction.

The man had slight problems at work but he was depressed as a result of his brother's death, Colonel Ganem said in a statement.

Dubai Police teams rushed to the site after a report was received on Tuesday morning that a man jumped from the 148th floor and hit the metal barriers on the façade of the building before landing on the 124th floor, he said.

The man did not land on the 108th floor as earlier reported.

Construction gap

Colonel Ganem added that investigations at the site showed that the man jumped through a construction gap, on which his company was working.

Colonel Ganem said the body was removed and necessary procedures were completed. He urged the public not to listen to rumours and make sure they only hear the facts from the right sources.

According to sources, Kannan had been working with Arabtec since 2000. He went on emergency leave when his brother died in December, and his application to go for another leave was rejected just before he decided to take his own life.

It is believed that Kannan did not have any relatives living in the UAE.

A spokesperson at the Indian Consulate General said yesterday that Kannan hailed from Tamil Nadu.

"The Consulate is in touch with the authorities concerned and will extend all assistance in sending the mortal remains to his family after completion of the required formalities," an official said.

We are waiting for the police to complete the investigations for the body to be released from the mortuary, added the official.