The family of an Indian man stabbed to death in a brawl outside a shopping centre in Sharjah are waiting to repatriate his body as police investigate the incident.
Ismail Ponnan, 40, from the city of Kannur in the southern state of Kerala, was killed on May 31 after an altercation sparked by a social media dispute. Another person was seriously injured.
Sharjah Police on Thursday said “several Asian nationals” had been arrested in connection with the incident, but did not reveal how many were held.
Salam Pappinissery, chief executive of the YAB Legal Services in Sharjah, told The National that Mr Ponnan's body had been moved from Al Qassimi Hospital to the Sharjah forensic department to undergo further examinations.
“Following preliminary investigations, police transferred the case to Sharjah Public Prosecution for further legal proceedings,” Mr Pappinissery said on Friday. His firm, as well as the victim's brother and other relatives, are "working collectively to complete the necessary legal documentation as quickly as possible to fly the body back to his hometown in Kerala for final rites", he added.
Mr Ponnan's brother, who did not want to be named, confirmed to The National that he is working with authorities to have the remains repatriated. Mr Pappinissery said it was not yet clear when that would happen.
It is understood that a group of people – including Mr Ponnan – had agreed to meet in Al Nahda area of Sharjah to settle an argument that had broken out on TikTok. The meeting turned violent and “two people sustained stab wounds", police said.
Mr Ponnan, who worked as sales officer in Dubai, was rushed to Al Qassimi Hospital at about 8am, but died of his injuries later that morning. “Preliminary investigations revealed that the dispute started on a social media platform before escalating from an online disagreement into a direct confrontation involving several parties,” Sharjah Police said.
