Authorities identify man who jumped off Burj Khalifa
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
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.
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 on Wednesday.
Colonel Ali Ahmad Ghanim, 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, Col Ghanim 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, adding that site investigation showed that the man used a construction gap, on which his company was working, to throw himself.
Col Ghanim 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 has 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 The Indian Consulate General said on Wednesday that Kannan hailed from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
"The Cconsulate 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 to conclude, for the body to be released from the mortuary, added the official.
