Sharjah: A British tourist has been ordered not to leave the country after police indirectly linked her to the heart-attack death of an elderly woman in the same elevator she was travelling in, police said.
In a strange set of circumstances, the British tourist, 32, was questioned by police after a 60-year-old woman of Arab origin — who held a German passport — collapsed and died when the tourist’s shoulder brushed against the victim while exiting the elevator.
The tourist said the body touch was unintentional.
The family of the elderly woman blamed the British woman for the death of their mother and filed a formal complaint with the police leading to the tourist being taken in for questioning.
The incident occurred in a hotel in Al Tawoun area of Sharjah.
The death was reported to Sharjah Police operations room and a team of officers was dispatched from Al Buhairah police station along with a forensic expert to investigate the scene of death.
The elderly woman’s body was moved to a forensic laboratory for autopsy where a medical report later indicated that the victim died of a heart attack.
An official at Sharjah Police told Gulf News that the incident occurred on the same day the British tourist intended to wrap up her holiday and leave the country.
Police investigators checked the video recordings of the elevator to replay what happened.
“We inspected the CCTV of the hotel which showed that the British woman slightly touching the elderly woman.” a police spokesperson said.
The incident was referred to the public prosecution for further action.
An official at the public prosecution told Gulf News that the British woman was released on bail but must remain in the UAE pending the outcome of the investigation.
The case is still under investigation, the official said.
